1,000 Paper Cranes
by Aurora Antheia Raine
Summary: Heart brutally shattered on the day of his wedding, Sesshoumaru vowed to never love again. Fate, however; had something else in mind when it allowed him to meet a woman who would challenge that decision in every way. SessKag Full Summary in Profile
1. Prologue: Broken Engagement

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Prologue: Broken Engagement  
_

The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon, illuminating everything in the quiet park with lush shades of pink. In the center of said park, a beautiful pond shimmered with ripples due to a gentle breeze. Upon a cobblestone bridge that arched across the pond, stood a forlorn woman with long black hair that cascaded past her shoulders.

She took a small jewelry box from her purse and sighed before she took one last look at the sparkling jewelry inside. Tears prickled her eyelids, threatening to overspill onto her porcelain-like cheeks. She blinked them back as quickly as she could. He could arrive at any given moment and she needed to be composed when he did.

Just as she closed the top of the velvet red jewelry box, she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. Forcing a smile on her face, she slipped the box back into her purse, turned around and leaned an arm casually on top of the rail.

"Sesshoumaru," she acknowledged softly, "you're here."

"Sorry, I'm late," he replied as he made his way over to the bridge, oblivious to her unusual demeanor, "it was difficult to haul a taxi this early in the morning."

He glanced around and smiled, his golden eyes twinkling with happiness as he came to a stop in front of her. Grasping her gentle and delicate hand in both of his large ones, he gazed at the beauty of the sunrise.

"What a beautiful scenery," he commented, "don't you agree?"

She could only nod in agreement as she too, looked at the beauty of nature placed before them. Tears began filling her ruby red eyes and a lump formed in her throat.

"We can do this for the rest of our lives now," he added, looking back at her, "this will continue to be our private location as it has been for the past three years. Together, until death do us part, will our love hold true."

She bit her bottom lip in silent agitation, squeezing her eyes shut for a brief moment to compose herself.

"I have something for you," he suddenly said, using one hand to retrieve a corked glass jar, while the other continued to hold her hand in his, "I spent all of last night creating it. I finished just in time to meet you here."

"You… you mean to say that you… haven't gotten any sleep?" she questioned, her eyes searching his for an answer.

He smiled at her concern. "To see your joyful face, I would sacrifice anything," he merely said, holding the jar out to her. "Within this container lies one thousand paper cranes that signifies my love for you. Even though there are not enough paper cranes in this world to show you the depth of my love… I figured one thousand would be a good start. This is my heart in which I have given you."

She took in a shaky breath and looked away, "Sesshoumaru…" she murmured as she retrieved her hand from his. "I want so much in life," she began softly. Turning to him, she smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes, "I want to travel the world; to go to America."

"If you wish it, I will find a way to make it possible."

"You don't understand, Sesshoumaru," she replied, tears filling her eyes. "I can't wait for you to find a way."

"What--what are you insinuating?" he asked, grasping the bridge's handrail tightly with one hand to steady himself and the other held the glass jar firmly.

"You're just an executive of a small company--barely making it in life. How will you support me?" she questioned before placing a hand delicately on her stomach. "How will you support a child if I happen to conceive?"

His eyes widened. "Are you--?"

"No. No, I am not," she interrupted. She took his hand and placed the velvet box in the center of his palm, which she had retrieved from her purse just moments before. "I can't marry someone who isn't financially stable. There will be a day when love won't be enough to keep a family together. I can no longer visualize a future for the both of us."

Awkward silence descending upon them as he searched her eyes; her face; her body language, trying to distinguish if she was truly telling the truth. When he could find no traces of a lie, his smile evaporated.

"So this is it, then?" Sesshoumaru finally asked bitterly, snatching his hand away from hers as if he had been burnt, the box tumbling to the ground and landing beside his foot. "The day of our wedding and you're calling it off, suddenly deciding that I don't have enough money for you to spend? You're just going to fly off to America to find some rich man who'll satisfy your needs?"

"Sesshoumaru… I'm so sorry. Please try to understand," she pleaded to his now rigid stance. "I never meant for things to turn out this way."

"Whore," he hissed at her, fury consuming his mind as deep, excruciating pain numbed his heart. "I actually thought you cared for me; that you actually _loved_ me. Now I see that I was just another fuck for you until you decided to move on to something with a bigger wallet."

She flinched with each sentence he spoke, feeling as though a knife had embedded itself into her heart. She tried to speak but found that she couldn't.

"You thought me a fool, didn't you?" he asked with a scornful laugh. "You had me falling in love with you so easily and you must have thought to yourself 'what an idiotic fool.' I can't believe I fell for it all."

She bit her bottom lip once more before she shook her head. "I wish you the best in life, Sesshoumaru. It is highly unlikely that we will ever meet again. You will have your life… and I will have mine," she whispered, her voice wavering.

He settled his burning gaze on her, feeling his hatred grow-- as well as his sorrow. He felt the beginning of his tears and knew that no matter what, he couldn't let her see him cry. What was left of his pride simply would not allow it.

Letting one hand go limp, the glass container slipped between his fingers and shattered, the sudden noise piercing the unearthly silence causing her to flinch yet again.

"Fuck this," he growled, "Fuck all of this. I don't need you. I don't need anyone!"

Reaching down for the jewelry box, he flipped it open angrily and took out the large engagement ring he had managed to purchase after two long years. Throwing the box carelessly to the side, he swung his arm back before propelling the ring forward with all the strength he possessed, watching as it disappeared from view.

Glaring at her one last time, Sesshoumaru walked away. _'I will never allow myself to fall in love again.'_ He swore to himself as tears finally began to fill his golden eyes. Tears that he had been holding back for what seemed to be an eternity. _'Never again will I show my weakness.'_

She stared after him until she could no longer see his figure. As if losing all physical strength, she sank to her knees and sobbed. Suddenly remembering the paper cranes, she rushed over and collected them with care, making sure all one thousand was within her palm before carefully placing it into her purse.

Standing up and snapping her purse shut, she walked off the bridge and began to search for a glimmer in the grass. No matter what, she had to find the engagement ring. It may no longer matter to him, but it will always matter to her.

Spotting it a distance away, she ran towards it and picked it up, tears streaming down her face silently, the only sign of her own sorrow. She ran her index finger on the inside of the ring, feeling the small engraved words she had already memorized.

_My love; My life; My soul; My wife, Taisho Kagura._


	2. Chapter One: A New Beginning

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter One: A New Beginning_

The chauffeur of a large shiny limo pulled to a stop in front of a newly constructed office building surrounded by eager people of all status - businessman's, businesswoman's, adoring fans, friends, family, and employees.

"We have arrived, Sesshoumaru-sama," the chauffeur announced as he secretly admired the exterior of the office complex. _'Sesshoumaru-sama has such good taste,'_ he thought to himself, _'from the clear glass exterior of the tall, skyscraper-like building to the elegant red wording atop the entrance door.'_

"That will be all, Jaken," a cold and monotonous voice replied, interrupting his thoughts. Sweeping his moon spun, silver hair over his shoulders, he stepped out of the vehicle and held his head up high.

Immediately, the crowd burst into cheers and murmurs. Cameras flashed as reporters fired questions at him. Many, if not all, gushed and swooned at his appearance while others--mainly males-- worked themselves into a jealous frenzy.

He inwardly smirked at their obvious reactions. _'How typical…,' _he thought as he overheard multiple conversations.

_"Look at his long silk-like hair and those golden eyes that can pierce right into your soul."_

_"How I envy that flawlessly pale skin."_

_"Just looking at him is enough to get me wet!"_

As he made his way to the entrance of the office building, he was approached by a handsome, violet-eyed man.

"Congratulations Sesshoumaru-sama," he greeted as he handed him a large pair of scissors.

Accepting it without another word, he made his way over to the large red ribbon streamed across the entrance door.

Sparing a bored glance at the pair of scissors, he tossed it aside and the crowd gawked at him in confusion.

When Sesshoumaru raised his right hand up, his deadly claws glistening, the crowd finally caught onto the idea and burst into cheers once more while cameras resumed its flashing.

With a simple flick of his wrist, the ribbon fluttered to the ground in two pieces, signifying the beginning of the celebration. Not one for social activities, Sesshoumaru entered the office complex to complete his final examination of the construction to his company.

"I am happy to announce the grand opening of Taisho Records!" the violet-eyed man exclaimed, now standing in the location Sesshoumaru had just abandoned, "please feel free to join us for refreshments inside the room on your left."

Allowing a lecherous grin to flit across his face, he sauntered over to a large-eyed and large-breasted woman, careful to avoid the desperate crowd that gathered at the entrance.

"Miss, would you do the honor of bearing my child?" he asked, grasping her hand in his. The young woman blushed a deep red and began to nervously stammer out a reply.

"Miroku!" an angry woman growled before she threw the discarded scissors at the back of his head, handles first.

Seeing her chance, the blushing woman quickly made her escape, leaving Miroku twitching in pain on the ground.

"Sango…" he croaked towards the angered woman, "a little help… please…"

Rolling her eyes, she stormed into Taisho Records, also leaving him groaning with pain.

* * *

Higurashi Kagome sighed as she flipped through a magazine. Sighing again when she didn't find anything to suit her interests, she tossed it carelessly on the living room table and flopped back onto the sofa.

_'Bored… bored… bored…,' _she sang mentally as she gazed out the front window, noticing that the sun was setting. _'Already?'_ she thought to herself.

Frowning, her eyes drifted to the crinkled newspaper in front of her. "I should actually be looking for a job…" she said to herself, "but that's so utterly boring."

Suddenly, a musical tune drifted to her ears and she pumped a fist in the air with triumph.

"Saved by the phone!" she cheered as she eagerly answered it.

"Hello, Higurashi Kagome speaking!" she chirped, her eyes twinkling with profound happiness.

"Kagome, I do believe that anyone calling you would know who is answering," the caller said with a laugh, "it _is_ your cell phone, after all."

"Sango! I'm so glad you called!" she replied, flopping onto the sofa again with an exasperated sigh, "I'm dying of boredom here."

"Well, that's perfect!" Sango exclaimed, "I was just about to invite you to the celebration here at Taisho Records. It's been going on for hours when I suddenly thought of you."

"Taisho? Why does that sound so familiar?" Kagome absentmindedly asked, before her eyes drifted to the cover of the magazine she had previously thrown aside. Leaning forward, she picked it up with two dainty fingers and laid it on her lap, scrutinizing the male model on the front cover. "You wouldn't happen to be speaking of Taisho Sesshoumaru, would you?"

"Actually, I am. He's the president of Taisho Records. It's surprising, actually," Sango explained, "I heard that two years ago, he was this poor man working as an executive in this small, unheard of, company. Now, he's a millionaire with his own company."

"Hm… Really? Is that so?" Kagome murmured as she flipped to the end of the magazine.

"Yeah. What a major chang--"

"At age thirty, multimillionaire Taisho Sesshoumaru is at the top of his game. Just last month he unanimously claimed the title of 'Number One Sexiest Man in Japan.' Now, his record company, said to be selling a variety of music, named Taisho Records is rumored to open this month. With his god-like appearance and unyielding attitude towards business, he is sure to succeed. As his grand opening special, Taisho Sesshoumaru is hosting a contest. It is rumored to allow only ten skilled participants between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-seven who has the uncanny ability to sing in wide vocal ranges. The winner of said contest is prized with a five-year contract with Taisho Records. This has not been officially confirmed but more information will be released in the near future." Kagome interrupted, reading from the magazine, "From zero to hero, he is going to make a young man or woman's dream come true. Just a mere two years ago, the name Taisho Sesshoumaru was nearly unheard of. Not much is known of his past except for his engagement to a beautiful woman of a pauper's descent. No further information has been released about his previously failed engagement. Yes ladies, this man is currently single. With his seemingly cold demeanor, which was rumored to have been the cause of his ex-fiancée, the citizens of Japan are currently awaiting the answer to an unspoken question. Who will win the heart of Japan's number one bachelor, Taisho Sesshoumaru?"

"Kagome?" Sango asked over the phone, moving on from the topic of Taisho Sesshoumaru, "Are you coming or not? I sure could use some company."

"Huh?" she asked, her eyes still fixed on the short article, "Oh! I mean, of course. I thought you were with Miroku though."

"You mean that lecherous pervert?" Sango said with a scowl.

"What happened this time?"

"He asked this… large-breasted… woman to bear his child." Sango growled.

Kagome laughed, diverting her complete attention to her friend, "Sango, are you sure you're not just jealous?"

"Jealous?" she sputtered in disbelief, "I am perfectly content with my womanly attributes."

"No, no, no. That's not what I was talking about," Kagome corrected, "You're obviously in love with the man. Why don't you just tell him?"

"It's not that simple, Kagome. I can't just go up and _tell _him. Wait - who said anything about me loving him?"

Another laugh escaped from Kagome's parted lips, "I think you already gave it away… if I hadn't already known."

Scowling once more, Sango told her to meet her at Taisho Records as soon as possible before hanging up.

Jumping up from the sofa, Kagome quickly headed towards her room to change into a suitable attire. She knew that Taisho Records' grand opening celebration had to be quite an elegant event. A multimillionaire such as Taisho Sesshoumaru would not settle for any less.

Pulling out a teal colored silk blouse and knee-length black skirt from her closet, she assessed it in front of her full length mirror. Nodding in approval, she carefully slipped into it and smoothed it down before applying a minuscule amount of make-up. Glancing at the full length mirror once more, she smiled. Reaching for her purse, she swung it onto her shoulder, grabbed her keys and promptly left the house.

* * *

"Sango darling!" Miroku called out with a wide grin as he finally found her in the celebration room, several hours later, "I've been trying to find you. You aren't still angry with me, are you?" he asked as he walked over to her, taking in her flushed appearance due to the champagne in the elegant glass she held in her hand.

His violet eyes roamed her curvaceous figure taking in her creamy shoulders which was bare due to her halter styled dress, her breasts which showed just enough cleavage to tease the male population, and her bare, long and shapely legs which he could imagine wrapped around him as he pounded into her.

"You're a pervert, you know that?" Sango snapped, thrusting him out of his fantasy of having her in his bed, panting and moaning for him.

"Why, dearest Sango, I have no idea what you're talking about," he denied.

"I saw that lecherous grin of yours," she said, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I was merely admiring how wonderful you look in that dress," Miroku said with an innocent smile.

"Say another word and I will give you another bruise on your skull."

"Am I forbidden from complimenting an attractive woman I happen to care about?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"What are you saying?" Sango asked suspiciously before drinking what's left of the champagne in her glass. Avoiding his gaze, she quickly turned away and set about to get another glass of champagne at the cloth covered table near the entrance.

To her dismay, he followed her. "What do you want?" she finally snapped, pouring champagne into her glass.

"You haven't answered my question," he replied, gazing at her intently.

"What question?" she stared at him warily.

"As to why…" he began as he stepped closer to her, trailing the edge of her face from cheek to chin so gently with his thumb that she couldn't help but shiver. "… I can't compliment a woman I love on her beauty."

Her brown eyes widened at his confession and she couldn't help but gasp.

He, wordlessly, took her champagne glass and placed it on the nearby table.

"What are you doing?" she asked, running her tongue along her lower lip, suddenly growing nervous. She stared up at him and noticed his gaze settling upon her lips.

"Miroku…" she warned. "Don't even think about it. We're at a social event right now."

Taking no heed of her warning, he cupped one side of her face and she began to protest once more. But when his other hand pressed gently against the small of her back, pulling her against him, her words died on her lips. He pressed his lips gently against hers and her eyes fluttered shut, no longer caring if everyone in the room was staring at them.

She began to wrap her arms around his neck to pull him closer when he tentatively ran his tongue against her bottom lip. It was then she knew. Her eyes immediately snapped open and she ended up pushing him away with as much force she was capable of at the very moment.

At her direct angle, she was able to get a clear view of the doorway and she caught a glimpse of Kagome. Glaring at Miroku, she ran towards her friend who had just accepted a glass of wine out of the three available choices from a passing waiter.

"Kagome," Sango greeted with a smile, "I'm glad you're here."

Taking a small sip, she smiled, "actually, I was afraid I was interrupting something. I saw you and Miroku."

Sango shook her head in disagreement, "I'm sure it meant nothing at all to him."

"What do you mean?" she asked, not understanding what her friend was saying.

"He's undoubtedly drunk."

"Really?" Kagome asked with surprise before looking at a dazed Miroku from a distance away, "he… doesn't _look _drunk."

"He's not really one to handle alcohol," Sango explained, "but you never would have known by his outward appearance."

"Are you sure it's _that_ serious?"

"Don't believe me? Just watch."

Two pairs of curious eyes - one azure blue and the other chocolate brown - watched him as he began to walk towards a small group of woman. Suddenly, he staggered in his step and fell against the wall, promptly passing out.

"He doesn't necessarily look like he's drunk but it'll always show sooner or later when he either passes out or acts like a fool," Sango explained, turning back to her friend with a shrug.

"I'm sorry, Sango."

"For what? It's nothing. I'm fine," she said with a smile, "I doubt he will remember anything by tomorrow."

Picking up on her friends slightly indifferent tone, Kagome gave her a soft smile, "Would that be a good or bad thing?"

Ignoring the question that's been occupying her heart, Sango glanced at Miroku who was still slumped on the floor. She sighed, "Kagome, I believe I should go, unfortunately. I should get him home or something."

"Don't worry. I understand…" Kagome replied, glancing around at the sophisticated atmosphere, "I'll just mingle."

Nodding, Sango hurried to Miroku and effortlessly picked him up. For a woman her size, she had admirable strength that would shock anyone unfamiliar to her, but Kagome had known her for years.

* * *

Taisho Sesshoumaru sat behind his polished mahogany desk, the beginning of the night sky streaming through the wall-sized glass window behind him. The other source of light came from the ceiling lights. He held a pen in his right hand as he tried to sort out the information necessary for the Taisho Records Contest.

Hearing thousands of people with no singing abilities whatsoever does not suit well with him and he got a migraine just thinking about it. It was possible that the ten final contestants would actually possess the skill necessary, thus making his job all the more simple. Still, he was hardly looking forward to it.

Placing his pen neatly atop the desk, he stood up, closed the lights, and walked out of his office, making sure to lock it for extra security.

Within due time, he had made it from the twentieth floor to the first. Using the back exit which only he had access to, he stepped into the dark and humid atmosphere.

He knew that his chauffeur would not arrive for another hour or so as he had so instructed but the migraine he sported prevented him from completing his paperwork.

_'Perhaps I require a glass of wine,'_ he thought to himself. Before he could move though, he grimaced. Did he really want to enter a room full of Taisho Sesshoumaru fanatics and have them pestering him nonstop?

_'No,'_ he answered, a growl escaping his lips.

It was the one thing he was not prepared for when he became the multimillionaire he had always wanted to be. As irritating as it may be, at least it reminded him of his fortune.

But perhaps, he also hoped the news of his current status would make its way back to his ex-fiancée. He desired for her to feel the regret of having denied him for if she had married him that day two years ago, she would have full advantage of his fame and fortune. But then again, Taisho Sesshoumaru does not and will never, need a woman by his side.

A sudden movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Diverting his gaze solely to the object of his curiosity, he noticed it was a lone woman. Due to the lack of interest in woman, he began to turn away when something caught his eye once more.

The woman looked like Akiro Kagura with her long, black hair, voluptuous curves, and long, appealing legs. The way she walked so gracefully and poised resembled Kagura perfectly. _'She wouldn't dare!,'_ he hissed to himself, his right hand forming a tight fist, his sharp claws digging into the palm of his hand.

He watched with narrowed eyes as she wandered around with a glass of wine as if she was unsure of what to do. Finally, she sat down on the curb, nursing that single flute glass filled with alcohol.

_'At least she still has her exquisite taste for expensive alcohol.'_

He slowly stalked over to her with quiet, calculated steps, flexing his deadly claws with malice. _'How dare she show up here at my company's celebration!,'_ he roared in his mind.

As if sensing a presence behind her, the young woman turned around and stared straight at him. Instantaneously, he relaxed his claws. _'It's not Kagura…,'_ he realized.

This woman had the bluest eyes he had ever seen in his life. Such an oddity in itself, he thought. It was not everyday you see someone of Japanese descendant with blue eyes as the dominant gene.

Peculiarly, he found himself to be intrigued. Was it because of her unusual almond shaped blue eyes? Or was it the fact that he had thought her to be Kagura? Deny as he might, deep down, he still loved her.

"I'm sorry," she apologized with a delicate smile, her eyes twinkling with amusement, "have I taken your seat?"

To say that he wasn't surprised when she didn't flaunt over him would be blatantly lying. _'Perhaps she has no idea as to who she is speaking to?,'_ he wondered to himself.

"No," he replied coolly, "merely the wine I had imported from America, costing me approximately 171,170 yen a bottle."

"I'm sure a multimillionaire like you, Taisho Sesshoumaru-sama, can afford many bottles of Petrus Pomerol," she pointed out, swishing the wine in her glass gently, "plus, it was offered to me and I'm not one to deny good wine."

_'So she does know of my status, but her reaction is most unusual.'_

"That is the inevitable truth," he said, "but I detest sharing imported wine with strangers."

"Higurashi Kagome," she introduced with an outstretched hand, "there, I am no longer a stranger."

Glancing at her hand, he waved it away, "I question your intelligence."

"Well, I question your social skills."

"This Sesshoumaru has flawless social skills."

"Oh really?" she asked, glancing up at him, "then why is it that you did not attend your own celebration?"

"It is of no consequence to you."

"You truly lack social skills," she muttered, turning away from him.

She expected him to leave her be when silence consumed the atmosphere around them but to her surprise, he stayed rooted to that very location.

"Is there something I can assist you with?" she finally asked.

He pondered his unasked question, wondering if he should ask or simply leave. He once would have never approached her. He once would never have conversed with the likes of her. He was positive that he was ill, that he wasn't acting like himself - because he stayed and satiated her with an answer.

"You know of this Sesshoumaru's status…" he began, "yet, you treat me no differently than an average person. Why is that?"

"You ask this because?"

Again, he pondered her question. "Curiosity," he merely answered.

"Curiosity killed the cat," she replied.

"I am most certainly not a cat."

"I'm well aware of that, Taisho Sesshoumaru-sama."

Another silence settled upon them. Sesshoumaru awaiting her answer and Kagome forming her answer into words.

"Even though you may be a multimillionaire…" she said slowly, "you are still a living being with emotions. Deep inside, you are no different than the rest of us."

He growled, "This Sesshoumaru holds no emotions."

"Everyone has emotions. Some simply choose not to reveal them, to hide away behind a cold barrier. You are one of those people, Taisho Sesshoumaru-sama."

"You do not know me. You can not assume it is as you see it."

"Forgive me if I am mistaken," she snapped as she stood up, irritation blazing in her eyes, "you merely asked why I treated you no differently than an average person. I am simply answering in my own opinion."

As quick as lightening, he grasped her harshly by the arm with one hand and the other, her jaw. Startled, she dropped the wine glass and it shattered, staining the cement by her feet with dark purple liquid. He smirked as he received the reaction he was expecting. "Do not forget to whom you are speaking to, Higurashi. It would be in your best interest not to make an enemy of me."

Unexpectedly, the scent of cherry blossoms and jasmine invaded his nose and he felt the sudden urge to bury his face in her neck to further indulge himself in her wondrous scent. He shoved her away before her alluring scent could drive him to the brink of breaking the vow he had made two years ago.

He was infuriated as to how easily he and his body reacted to her. Never has he lost control of his anger. Never has his body reacted in such a way, not even with Kagura. One sniff of her scent was enough to leave him wanting more. One touch of her soft skin beneath his hands was enough to make him hard. A simple gaze of her azure eyes upon him and he had to fight the urge to ravish her with his mouth and hands.

How foolish he was, to fall under the spell of another woman he had met only five minutes ago. He should have left when he could. Instead, he had chosen to stay, driving himself further from his vow. But the one action of error, was ultimately, touching her. It awoken something inside him he had not felt for years.

It was lust. Pure and simple. He had denied himself the pleasure of bedding a woman after Kagura that now, he felt undeniable lust.

He had to get away. He must, before he could no longer continue his emotionless façade. Growling, he snapped at her to leave and leave she did.

She fled the scene without glancing back at him and for that he was grateful for surely he could no longer hide the fact that he was rock hard and throbbing.

For her.

* * *

**Note:**

1) 171,170 yen, if the conversion was correct, is about $1,459 USD.

2) Petrus Pomerol is the second most expensive wine costing approximately, as stated above, $1,459 USD a bottle. This Merlot was one of the favorite wines at the White House during the Kennedy years. The official name is Chteau Petrus. The grapes are usually harvest early and left to mature slowly. It has an extremely fruity taste with hints of berries, vanilla, mocha, and oak emanate.


	3. Chapter Two: Acceptance

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter Two: Acceptance_

An uneasy look settled upon Kagome's face as she skimmed through the application Sango had handed her. "I... I don't know about this, Sango. Working with Sesshoumaru-sama... isn't exactly going to be something I'll be looking forward to."

Sango sighed. "Kagome. Technically, you wouldn't be working with him. Not unless you make it to the top ten, of course."

"But we would still come face to face during the preliminary phases of the contest," she protested.

"Need I remind you that your ultimate, once unachievable, dream is to become a singing celebrity?"

"No."

"Need I remind you, that you have bills to pay and a mother to support?"

"No."

"And need I remind you that you are currently unemployed?"

"No!" Kagome scowled with annoyance at knowing she was correct, "I get the point."

"Then fill out the application and send it in already," sensing her friends' restless emotions, she assured her, "Kagome, I'm sure he's forgotten what happened by now. It's been a week."

"Perhaps..." she replied reluctantly, "but you never know."

"Listen," Sango commanded as she handed her a black inked pen, "if you win this Taisho Records Contest, you get a five year contract at the very least. You will be famous and you will gain fortune. You can support your mother. You can afford better things. You will have a job. And I am sure you will make Souta proud."

Sitting down at the dining room table, Kagome began to nervously chew on the back of the pen. "Souta's always believed in me," she said softly, "even if he was a brat most of the time, he was always there to support me."

"Exactly. If both he and I believe in you, then you most certainly should as well. Do it for your little brother, Kagome. Do it for me and your mother. But most importantly, do it for yourself. I don't want you to look back on this day five years from now and think, 'Why didn't I listen to Sango? I could have been wealthy and famous.' Instead, you'll remember this wondrous day as the day you took the first step towards everlasting fame and fortune."

Kagome couldn't help but laugh, "what a way to dramatize the situation."

"Well, if it will convince you, then why not?" she answered with a shrug.

Reaching a decision, Kagome hesitantly began to fill out the application.

"Here," she said moments later, handing the completed application to Sango. "I think you should take it with you when you go to work today. I'm positive that if I go, I'll change my mind."

"Good idea," she agreed before glancing at the clock on the wall, "speaking of work though, I should probably go before I'm late. I'd prefer not having to face Sesshoumaru's wrath."

Laughing, Kagome simply replied, "I still can't believe that both you and Miroku got accepted to work at Taisho Records."

"Believe it," Sango declared with a small smirk before walking out the door.

"Wait!" she called after her, "I don't have a recording of my singing. The application said it was required."

"Don't worry about it," Sango replied with a smile, "I have a copy."

* * *

"Sesshoumaru-sama, we have received five thousand completed applications so far," Miroku informed him as he placed the stack of papers on the edge of his employer's desk.

"Reject any future applications," he ordered.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," Miroku replied before leaving his office, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Alone to do the dismaying task, Sesshoumaru picked up the first application. His eyebrows rose in surprise as he read the application thoroughly.

_'So this Higurashi Kagome is a singer,'_ he commented to himself as he placed a CD that was attached to the application inside his stereo.

A soft, musical, and harmonious voice accompanied by slow music drifted to his ears, amazing him with her skills. She sounded as if she had professional coaches to aid in her singing, but her application specifically said that she had not. He had never thought that a woman of her stature would possess such a flawless ability to sing. He never would have known that this was what she sounded like if he was not hearing it himself at this very moment. Her voice the night they met did her no justice.

Taking out a pad of paper, he wrote down his comments on her audio CD. Even though he knew that he should keep his options open for the remaining four thousand ninety-nine applicants, he realized that there was no possible way for him to reject hers. He didn't know if it was her wondrous voice or if it was the way that she still intrigued him, but he did know that he had, in one form or another, grown a mild case of obsession.

He blandly refused to admit it. It was insanity. He would not stoop so low as to crave the body nor attention of a mere woman. It was worse to know that five minutes with the woman was enough to have him think of her constantly and that a single touch of her skin could set him on fire with unbridled lust. If he hadn't thought her to be Kagura that night, he surely wouldn't be in this frustrating dilemma.

As he thought back to that day, he ridiculed himself for his ignorance. Kagura and Higurashi Kagome looked absolutely nothing alike. How wrong of a judgment that was, even considering the fact that he had only her back to witness. Kagome has a petite figure with voluptuous curves while Kagura's form was slightly larger and fuller. Kagome's skin was paler, smoother, and flawless. She positively glowed in the moonlight. Her hair had a tinge of blue and was slightly wavy with curls while Kagura's was completely straight.

When she turned around to face him, he had been struck with awe at her captivating azure blue eyes. And while they both had bangs, Kagome's were more carefree and strangely erotic as it shows the somewhat wild side that he presumed to reside in the woman, while Kagura's was sophisticated and organized.

He closed his eyes and envisioned a pair of ruby red eyes shining with love for him. At the sharp stab of feeling his heart clenching with pain, he curled his fingers tightly to form a fist, his claws digging into the palm of his hand as he snapped his eyes wide open.

_'This is preposterous,'_ he scolded himself with disgust,_ 'I am a man of no emotions.'_

But even as he thought those words to himself, he knew it was not true. He may hide his emotions in public, allowing everyone to think of him as the stoic yet wealthy man, but he truly isn't. The pain of having been left behind by the woman he loved was still buried deep within his heart.

The coldness he illuminates off his being is the only way he knew how to deal with the drowning and suffocating emotions from that one morning so long ago.

His eyelids slid closed again over his golden orbs, and he was surprised to find that rather than a pair of ruby red eyes staring back at him, it was the blue eyes shining with friendliness, tranquility, and contentment.

Kagome's eyes.

* * *

"Kagome! Kagome!" Sango shrieked with obvious joy as she waved a piece of paper in the air, trying to catch her attention as Kagome was trying to unlock her door with two bundles of groceries in her arms.

"Kagome!" she shrieked again, running up to her and nearly knocking her over with a hug.

"Sango, can you let go please?" Kagome managed to squeak out as the breath was knocked out of her.

"Oh, sorry," she replied sheepishly before letting go. "Here, let me take some of that," she added as she took a bundle from the large pile.

"Why are you so excited?" Kagome asked as she slid her key into the lock. "I know it can't be because you saw me. After all, you were just here this morning."

Shoving the door open, Kagome walked inside and motioned for Sango to follow.

"I just heard the best news _ever_!" she exclaimed, following after Kagome into the kitchen.

"And what would that be? Miroku finally giving up on his perverted ways?" Kagome replied with a smirk.

"Unfortunately, no," she replied with a sigh. "But... you made it, Kagome!" she added with a squeal, "you made it to the top ten!"

Kagome felt her jaw drop in surprise, dropping her bag of groceries on the tiled floor, "W-what?"

She felt frozen with shock as her mind whirled at the definite possibility of having to sing in front of a large crowd. She's always been afraid of a large audience; always fearing that she would mess up and humiliate herself.

"Kagome?" Sango questioned with worry in her chocolate brown eyes. When she received no reply, she waved a hand in front of her face. "Kagome?" she repeated.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Kagome managed to flash Sango a weak smile before picking up her fallen groceries, trying to keep her hands from shaking nervously.

"Did you hear me?" Sango pressed on, "you made it! You start tomorrow and I'm pretty sure that Sesshoumaru-sama will contact you at some point this evening." Glancing down at the sheet of paper she held in her hand, she added under her breath, "well... according to Miroku anyway."

Ignoring her, Kagome stood up and walked towards the counter next to the sink before setting the paper bag down. Taking in a deep breath, she began to put her groceries away.

"I heard you..." she finally said quietly when she saw Sango placing down the other bundle of groceries beside her, "I'm just... surprised."

"And scared, perhaps?" she asked softly, knowing of her friends' fear of humiliation.

Sighing, Kagome turned around to face her dearest friend, "Sango... The last time I performed in front of such a large audience, I couldn't even say the words, much less sing them aloud. The image of them trying not to laugh was so utterly... mortifying."

She closed her eyes and the memory made its way to the surface, much to her chagrin.

_( Flashback )_

_"And the next performer for tonight's fund raising show, Higurashi Kagome, with the song 'Everlasting Love.' Give her a nice round of applause!"_

_As the audience clapped encouragingly, the shadow of a slim woman appeared on the darkened stage before multi-colored lights shone down upon her. Her lustrous black hair was highlighted by the greenish yellow stage lights that flickered and the glitter she had applied to her bare skin shone brightly as she moved about. The soft melodious music began to play and she licked her glossed lips nervously, fidgeting with the microphone she grasped tightly in her hand._

_She stared out into the audience and her azure blue eyes widened at the amount of people present. Her heart fluttered nervously in her chest and she tugged on the hem of her sequined teal-colored halter top._

_Her cue note played and she inhaled deeply and opened her mouth to sing... but no sound came out. She was frozen to the spot as the music continued to play and the crowd murmured amongst themselves in confusion._

_Within her mind, she sang the words beautifully in tune but in reality, her fear had caught up with her. It felt suffocating as if it were choking the very life from her slowly with leisure._

_"Lying in your arms, I feel so calm," her mind screamed the lyrics at her, but her voice was still wedged in her throat._

_Feebly, she murmured into the microphone the lines to the chorus, "there's an everlasting love. A love that never dies." Even to her own ears, her voice was weak and quivering with fright._

_In the distance, she heard a laugh and tears welled in her eyes. "I refuse to cry," she shouted to herself mentally. Taking in a deep breath, she tried once more._

_"There's an everlasting flame. A flame that never dies. If we run, if we shine, eternally, for you and me, until the end of time, it's an everlasting love."_

_It was no use, her phobia of a large group of spectators staring at her with mocking eyes and cruel laughter had rendered her voice useless for singing._

_She gazed out into the crowd with something akin to embarrassment and her eyes clashed with the sympathizing chocolate brown eyes of Sango's. Tearing her gaze away, she mumbled a quick, stuttering apology and fled from the scene in tears that streamed down her face, ruining her carefully applied make-up. The laughs and jeers of the audience could still be heard within her mind as if they were haunting her._

_( End Flashback )_

"Oh Kagome," Sango said softly, "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize-"

"Realize that I'm pathetic?" Kagome finished for her with a strained smile.

"No. That you still have stage fright," Sango corrected, pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry. If I had known, I never would have pressured you into submitting that application."

"It's alright," Kagome responded as she let go and stepped back, "I agreed to it because I never thought I would get chosen into the top ten."

Sango sighed and leaned against the counter with an exasperated facial expression. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly, resuming her previous job of placing her groceries away. "If he gets in contact with me tonight, I'll reject his offer and tell him it was just a mistake."

"If you think it's the best thing to do..." Sango agreed reluctantly, watching her wearily.

Suddenly changing the topic, Kagome smiled, "I'm so glad that I had enough common sense to set up a savings account when I was eighteen. The money, since I no longer have a job right now, is proving to be quite useful."

Just as Sango was about to reply, the phone rang. Dusting her hands, Kagome grabbed the receiver and lifted it to her ear.

"Hello. Higurashi Kagome speaking."

"Hello, Higurashi. This is Taisho Sesshoumaru informing you of the status of your application," the voice responded curtly. "It brings me great pleasure to announce that you have been accepted as one of the ten final contestants."

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama, but I fear that I will have to reject this offer. You see, I made a mistake and I really don't want to participate in this contest," Kagome replied calmly, "I apologize if it has interfered with your plans."

"Oh, is that so?" his silky baritone voice asked, "Is the seemingly mighty Higurashi _afraid_?"

She scoffed in reply, "as if, Sesshoumaru-sama. I merely find this contest to be a waste of my valuable time."

"Yet you did not find bantering with this Sesshoumaru last week to be 'a waste of your valuable time' as you so-called it?"

"If your initial reactions weren't as slow as a turtle, I wouldn't have felt the need to banter you so," she snapped.

"As opposed to your current bantering?"

"I despise you!" she snapped into the receiver, growling with frustration at how he always managed to get under her skin.

"I assure you that the feeling is quite mutual," he said breezily calm.

At a loss for words, she yelled the first thought that appeared in her mind, "I am not _afraid_!"

"I do believe we have already established this. Deny it as you will, but you are afraid," he taunted with a smirk on the other end. "Afraid of competition and afraid of losing."

"Damn it, I am not! I refuse to be seen in such a manner!" she heatedly responded, her eyes sparkling with barely suppressed anger.

"Then simply show up tomorrow at Taisho Records, 8:00 AM sharp and we shall see."

"Fine!" she snapped, "I'll be there! Just wait and see, you arrogant bastard!" Without another word, she slammed the phone down and stormed off, leaving a bewildered Sango in its wake.

* * *

"The ten of you are present today for one motive and one motive only- to demonstrate that your musical capability is the ideal model of what Taisho Records symbolizes," Sesshoumaru said, gazing at each of the contestants for a brief moment.

Glancing at the clipboard he held in his hand before meeting the eyes of the contestants once more, he spoke again. "Now, I will place in the audio CD that came along with the accepted applications, thus allowing each of you to get a brief glimpse of what the next week will consist of, competition and perseverance wise. Keep in mind that I will not tolerate idlers."

Slipping in one CD after another, he slowly introduced the ten members and their musical style: Wattan Rin, Yukio Shippo, Yama Hiten, Sanyu Kikyo, Haru Kouga, Samuru Jakotsu, Matsu Naraku, Mai Kaguya, Gen Ayame, and Higurashi Kagome.

When the song had achieved its end, he promptly turned the stereo off and swept his long silver hair over his broad shoulders with one clawed hand.

"The first phase of the contest will begin at 10:00 AM sharp. I expect for each of you to be present at the given time or you shall be immediately disqualified. I do not have the time nor patience to deal with tardiness," with that being said, he left the ten contestants to their own pondering thoughts.

An awkward silence befell the small crowd until a bright voice could be heard, "Hi everyone. My name is Wattan Rin."

The suddenly spoken words startled nearly everyone, causing laughter to erupt from their lips, thus breaking the silence. All at once, as if they were a swarm of bees, they had gathered into their own crowd to make small talk.

As Kagome was talking to Rin and Shippo, her newfound friends, someone tapped her gently upon the shoulders. She turned around with a bright smile upon her face. "Hello. My name is Kagome," she greeted the handsome man.

"My, what a beautiful name to match a beautiful young woman," he purred, his clear blue eyes flashing flirtatiously. "My name is Haru Kouga. Nice to meet your acquaintance."

"Nice to meet you," she responded with a friendly smile as a light blush stained her cheeks.

"Hey Jakotsu!" he suddenly called out, "look at how beautiful my woman is when she blushes!"

_'Excuse me?'_ Kagome thought to herself with bewilderment, _'my woman?'_

Laughing at Jakotsu's response, he put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close. "How about you and I go out for coffee later?" he asked with a cocky grin.

"Um... first of all," she started, taking his arm off of her shoulder with two dainty fingers, "I am not your woman. I am not a piece of property. And second, I do not know you so I am going to have to reject that kind offer."

"Oh, but you _are_ my woman! If I say it is so, then it must be so."

She stared at him with wide unblinking eyes. _'He has got to be kidding me. No one in this world can be this arrogant and cocky,'_ she thought to herself.

"Admit it, woman. You want me and my hot body. I saw the way you were looking at me earlier," he continued, oblivious to the start of her angered expression, "but I do have to say that you have a pretty hot figure yourself."

Feeling her right eye twitch with irritation, one of her fist slammed into his face before she could stop herself, successfully sending him crashing into a wall and into a state of unconsciousness.

"If I EVER see, hear, or even FEEL you staring at my body or calling me 'your woman' again, I will make pretty damn sure that you will NEVER be able to see, hear, feel, AND have children again!" she snapped at the unconscious figure, her cheeks flaming bright red with anger and embarrassment.

The violent activity coming from such a bright and seemingly harmless woman caused the crowd to cease in their actions and into an awkward silence.

"Oops..." Kagome murmured to herself sheepishly.

Unknown to the others, Sesshoumaru had witnessed the entire scene. Smirking, he walked away towards his own office. _'What a feisty woman,'_ he thought.


	4. Chapter Three: The First Phase

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter Three: The First Phase_

"Listen up, people!" a curt voice suddenly hollered, startling the group as he walked into the room, "I am Taisho Inuyasha and, unfortunately, your guide and teacher during this contest."

"I have a question then, teacher," a masculine voice purred, interrupting Inuyasha, as he walked over to where he stood. "Is everyone in your family just as sexy or is it just you?" Glancing up and down at his brawny figure, Jakotsu licked his lips and smirked while his eyes shimmered with delight and lust. "My, my, my… what muscles you have," he commented as he ran his hand up and down his chest sensually.

"Dude, ew," Inuyasha yelled with disgust as he cringed away from his revolting touch. "I have a girlfriend!" he snapped, shuddering violently, "and I don't swing that way!"

"You have a girlfriend?" he continued to purr, "and whom might that be, if you don't mind my asking."

'_Oh shit…' _was the only thing Inuyasha could think as cold sweat began to break out upon his skin.

"Um… she is!" he blurted out, quickly striding over to a nearby woman, winding his arm around her shoulders, and pulling her close to his body, barely noticing how perfectly her curves seemed to mold against him. "In fact, I knew she made it into the top ten. That is why I volunteered to be the guide for the duration of this contest."

"Sanyu Kikyo?" Jakotsu asked with a roaring laugh, "The ice bitch that won't put out for anyone? You've got to be joking!"

Disgusted at the display of rude behavior, Kagome shook her head slightly before formulating a quick plan.

Stomping over to Inuyasha with an infuriated expression, she promptly slapped him in the face. "How dare you!" she shrieked, her cobalt eyes blazing with mischief.

"What the fuck?!" Inuyasha snapped, missing the twinkle in her eye.

"How dare you!" she repeated, clenching her hands into tight fists. "How dare you tell him that _she's_ your girlfriend! _I'm_ your girlfriend, Inuyasha, in case you forgot. What the hell?!"

"Wait… _You're_ his girlfriend?" Jakotsu asked in confusion, glancing to and fro amongst the trio.

"I don't _have_ a fucking girlfriend!" Inuyasha yelled, throwing his hands in the air with vexation before turning to face Jakotsu. "Alright? That's what you want to hear, isn't it?!"

"How can you say that?!" Kagome screamed in response, slapping him once more. "How could you!" Gasping and heaving for breath, she desperately tried to concoct another plan.

Suddenly, she grasped his shoulders tightly and shook him vigorously. "Look me in the eye, Inuyasha and tell me you don't love me anymore! If you truly don't, I deserve to know."

"Oi, wench!" Inuyasha roared with agitation, twisting himself away from her firm hold.

"I. Don't. Have. A. Fucking. Girlfriend." he repeated, before allowing his golden orbs to lock with hers and they suddenly widened with realization when he saw the sparkle of mischief and amusement.

Finally catching onto the game, he calmly added, "I'm… I'm just… I'm sorry, alright? I just like her better, but it's okay since she hasn't done anything but reject me every time."

Fake tears sprang into her eyes. "I see…" she murmured dolefully as two wet trails slid down her cheeks. Wordlessly, she turned away and ran out of the room.

"Hon—Honey…" Inuyasha called after her in a sickly sweet tone. Glancing at the nine other people in the room, he grimaced and quickly ran after her. "I… I'm sorry! Can't we still be friends?!"

* * *

"Then what happened?" Sango asked, clutching her aching side while tears from laughing too hard streamed down her face. She inhaled deeply to attempt calming down but a grin threatened to resurface. She clamped a hand over her mouth to try and stifle the growing giggles but to no avail, her laughter rang out soundly once more.

"Well… All I can say is that I sure am glad those drama classes in high school helped!" Kagome said with a nonchalant wave of her hand, "you should have seen the look on their faces!"

"I am so sorry I missed that," Sango replied, laughing still, "I would have loved to get that on film."

"Yes, but now they all think I'm some sort of damsel in distress," Kagome gave a frustrated sigh.

"You can lavish in the attention they give you."

"That would be incredibly foolish. You haven't seen the boys that were there. It saddens me that they are adults, except for Shippo but he's more like a little brother than anything else."

"So you already have followers!" Sango cooed delightfully. "That's wonderful!"

"I suppose so," Kagome replied with a smile. "And did I tell you about Rin? She's so adorable in an innocent, juvenile way, although I'm sure she is probably in her mid-twenties."

"You are making me wish I could stop by the dance room to see you and everyone else," Sango warned with a knowing smirk, "so don't say any more until I can adjust to the fact that you might be the next big thing."

"Alright, alright," Kagome exclaimed with a nonchalant wave of her hand, "All I can say is that it was definitely an interesting first day."

"I'll bet it was."

* * *

"Welcome to day two," Inuyasha greeted cheerfully as he walked into the room where the contestants had been arranged to meet.

Groggy mumbles and half hearted replies were his only responses.

"How can you be so chirpy at seven in the morning?" Rin asked him with a groan, rubbing her eyes with a knuckle.

"Better get used to it kid," he replied with a chuckle before turning his attention to the entire audience, "today, I will be introducing you to your choreographer. He will teach you every dance step you will need to know throughout the duration of this contest."

"When will he arrive?" Jakotsu questioned, eager to set his sight upon what could only be an attractive, flexible male who might even be wearing tights.

Scratching his head with a clawed finger, Inuyasha glanced out the door in confusion. "That fucker should have been here already!"

"Watch your language, young man," a voice scolded from a distance, startling the group, minus Inuyasha, as they awaited the arrival of the mystery choreographer.

"Ah… there he is," Inuyasha mumbled, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently.

When said choreographer finally arrived, the ten contestants felt their jaws drop in shock and bewilderment.

"… You're kidding me, right?" Kouga finally managed to ask with widened, disbelieving eyes.

Standing in the entryway, before their very eyes, was a short man with large, beady eyes and a long nose. His head seemed to be entirely too large for his body, throwing off his body proportions, and a long moustache accompanied two tufts of white hair curled around his ears while the rest of his head was completely bald. And he was, indeed, wearing tights.

"I am Itou Myouga and I am your choreographer," he announced with a deep bow.

"Oh yeah, baby, I'd tap that," Kouga whispered to Jakotsu with a snicker, nudging him with an elbow.

Shivering with disgust, Jakotsu backed away from the front of the room, looking a little green as he eyed the old man's tights, while Kouga casted the old man a doubtful glance. Then, he loudly proclaimed, "no offense, old man, but you look like you're about to croak," causing a few muffled laughter to erupt in the room.

"Do not underestimate me, boy," Myouga lectured, wagging a short finger in his direction.

Turning his attention to the entire group, he clapped his hands twice and shuffled towards the center of the room. "Now, I want all of you to separate into two groups of five. First group line up horizontally and second group behind the first. Make sure to place yourself in the first row's 'window' so I can see each of you. You know what I'm talking about! Go, go, go!"

Scattering, the ten contestants placed themselves accordingly, some already stretching to prepare themselves for a long day of dancing.

"Also, I need each of you to write your name on this tag and wear it. That way, I can learn your name," Myouga explained as he passed a stack of name labels and a pen around to the seemingly anxious group.

Placing himself in front to lead the choreography, he turned around to face the group before tapping his eyes with his index finger. "And don't forget, this wall I'll be facing here is a mirror. I'll be keeping my eyes on you. _All of you_."

Turning to face front, Myouga stood with his feet a couple inches apart and his arms raised straight in front of him, leveled with his shoulders. "I want you to do exactly what I am doing," he said before he promptly thrust his hips forward with great vigor, bending his arm by the elbows tightly back to his side simultaneously. Then, he unraveled himself into the first position and repeated the action.

"Got it?" he asked the group, oblivious to the uncertainty written clearly upon their faces. "On the count of three! One, two three," he hollered, thrusting his hips forward again.

Weakly, the ten members followed his movements awkwardly, wishing they were anywhere but in this dance room, with this choreographer.

"What was that?" he bellowed, pausing in his movements. "That was pathetic! Try again."

With renewed energy, Myouga eagerly pushed his hips forward, pumping his arms in accordance to his hip movement. "And thrust! Thrust! Thrust those hips!"

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! I'm loving all the alerts I'm getting about you guys adding 1,000 Paper Cranes on your _story alerts _and _favorite story _lists, but for the amount of those I'm getting, the reviews are a little lacking. I'd love to hear from you guys! You can even choose to leave me a simple "good job" review but I'd like to be able to hear and converse with you. I know sometimes writing a review can be difficult, so I'm going to help you out a little. If you're unsure of what to say, just copy the following and paste it into the review box, then sign your name. It lets me know you are there. Alright?

_"Dear Raine,_  
_The interaction between Inuyasha and Kagome was hilarious!  
And OMG. Myouga is such a weirdo!  
Update soon!  
Signed,  
(enter name here)"_

Thanks for making your presence known! I adore each and every single one of my readers!


	5. Chapter Four: Ride Home

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter Four: Ride Home_

Slamming her locker door shut, Kagome quickly put her jacket on, more than eager to leave the building that was bound to give her nightmares tonight. She couldn't wait to go home and simply collapse on her bed and sleep for two days straight.

Her body was sore and aching from the odd routines the choreographer had them practice all day. She had never had to thrust her pelvis that much in her entire life; it was terribly horrifying. It did not help matters when Kouga had chosen a spot behind her to practice those steps, often choosing to get closer to her than necessary.

She shuddered in the repulsive memory of him brushing up against her backside in the dance room. Luckily, all contestants were given the privilege of using all the facilities provided by Tashio Records, including the showers. She had wasted no time in stripping down and washing the sweat and Kouga's revolting touch upon her body, scrubbing until her skin felt raw.

Shaking her head, she grabbed her purse and headed for the elevator, her footsteps echoing loudly throughout the empty halls. She was almost positive she was the last person to leave the building, save for the custodian workers. She had a tendency to take incredibly long showers, after all.

Moving quicker than before, she exited the building, a smile on her face when she walked up to her beloved vehicle. Sliding in, she stuck her keys in and turned, expecting the smooth purr of her engine roaring to life.

Unfortunately, nothing happened.

Frowning, Kagome turned the keys again and the car was still silent. Sighing with frustration, she popped the hood to find that she did not know what to do. Everything looked quite confusing and she had no idea what the issue was. She poked and prodded experimentally and finally threw her hands up in surrender.

Her cell phone had died half way through the day, so a call pleading for help was most definitely out of the question. She knew for a fact that she did not have enough money to hail a cab, not that one could be seen at the moment for the streets were deserted. At this rate, she may be stuck here until dawn. Rubbing her arms to creating friction, she shivered as she sat down on the sidewalk.

The weather was getting steadily cooler as they were heading towards autumn and her jacket wasn't warm enough for long periods outside. Pouting childishly, Kagome curled up as much as she could in her current position while mentally cursing at the bad luck she had been bestowed.

It could have been just a few minutes or a couple hours later when she heard a faint sound of doors opening. Thinking it was her imagination, she ignored it and continued pitying herself. When she heard slow footsteps behind her, she froze, her thoughts running wild on thoughts of murderers and rapists.

"Higurashi," a voice spoke out from behind her, footsteps ceasing.

She sprang up like a spooked cat and let out a small shriek, as she whirled around and placed a hand over her heart in surprise.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she gasped, "you startled me."

"Evidently," he responded, a hint of sarcasm laced in his speech, "what are you doing?"

"My car won't start up," she admitted sheepishly, "and my cell phone died. No taxis have been passing by either…"

"So you need a ride home," he concluded, lifting an eyebrow delicately.

"I… I suppose," she muttered.

"Hn," he merely responded, brushing a stand of his silver silk hair back with a graceful claw. Offering her no further words, he walked away, leaving a flabbergasted Kagome in his wake. Was he really going to leave her here, alone and stranded with no way home?

Just as she was prepared to throw a fit at how inconsiderate he was, he beckoned her with a curl of his fingers over his shoulder, not even bothering to spare her a glance. "Come along now," Sesshoumaru commanded, a small trace of a smirk upon his lips. Huffing at his treatment towards her, she ran after him anyway, figuring it was more important for her to head home than it was for her to chew him out.

* * *

It was quiet. Too quiet.

Kagome fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably as she continued staring out the window, putting too much effort into concentrating on the blurred trees as Sesshoumaru drove down the highway. The purr of his engine was the only sound she could hear. There was no music and exchanging of words. Nothing. It felt awkward and she didn't know what to say in an attempt to fill the silence either.

He was so cold and so unapproachable she couldn't help but be intimidated by him. Settling deeper into the leather seats, she closed her eyes. Mentally she told herself it would just be for a few minutes, but the smooth sway of his vehicle quickly lulled her into a peaceful sleep.

The minute her heart slowed and her breathing deepened, Sesshoumaru slid his honey eyes over to her slumbering form with a mild tinge of curiosity. Kagome shifted, mumbling something incoherent in her sleep, and he took his eyes off her for a brief moment to exit the highway. When he looked at her again once he got onto straight and smooth local roads, he had to stifle a sigh upon noticing she had hunched over upon the arm rest with her mouth hanging open.

Reaching over with one arm, he pulled her upright in the seat so she didn't wake up sore. It wasn't too long before he turned into her neighborhood and came to a stop in front of her house. He turned off the ignition and sat back in his seat, contemplating his next move.

Kagome looked too peaceful and angelic to wake, but as soon as the thought escaped, he scowled and shook her repeatedly. All previous thoughts were dashed the moment she refused to budge and he could feel his irritation rising. Sesshoumaru unbuckled his seatbelt and exited the car as Kagome continued snoring. How unfortunate it was for him to be burdened by this human girl who slept like the dead.

Walking to the other side of the car, Sesshoumaru pulled her door open and immediately grabbed the purse that was resting upon her lap. He dug through it, looking for her house keys. Once he found them, he quickly pocketed it and stared at the sleeping figure with distaste. He couldn't spend the night in the car with the girl, just waiting for her to wake up. The only way he could head home himself was to carry the damn annoyance into her house.

Blanching at the thought, he had to hold back a grimace as he scooped her into his arms effortlessly. He moved quickly up the steps and into her house, heading towards the direction where her floral scent was the strongest. Her body molded into his and he had to stifle a groan when he felt his traitorous body respond to her soft, supple figure.

Opening the door to her bedroom, he was nearly overwhelmed with the scent of Kagome. Feeling his lower anatomy lurch, Sesshoumaru deposited Kagome roughly upon her bed, hating how her scent clung and mingled with his. It would serve as a constant reminder of his weakness against women; against her.

He slowly reached down to adjust her position, but froze when he found his hand straying to touch her exposed skin. It was like his hand had a mind of its own, moving to tangle itself into her silk hair. When he realized what he was doing, he leapt backwards, staring wide eyed and horrified at his clawed hands.

All notions of making sure Kagome was comfortable and tucked in fled as he turned and flew out the door with humiliation and mortification. Sesshoumaru gunned the engine and revved out of her neighborhood, more than eager to remove her scent from upon his person. Both hands clenched the steering wheel tightly as he continued to throb with desire for her. The image of her spread out upon her bed continued flashing through his mind and he growled low in his throat.

He was beginning to regret his vow of celibacy. It's been too long since he's had the pleasure of being in the presence of a woman with a pleasant scent, even longer since he had touched a woman. He didn't know how he could face Kagome tomorrow. He had practically molested her in her sleep. Where had his self control gone?

Lust, he deemed, was truly a terrible thing.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for all the feedback I received last time! I loved reading each and every single opinion and thoughts you guys had on my story. And here is the auto review in case you're not sure of what to say:

_"Dear Raine,_  
_Hah! It looks like Sesshoumaru isn't as emotionless as he thought, huh?_  
_And wow, Kagome sure does sleep like a log._  
_Who would have thought?_  
_Update soon!_  
_Signed,_  
_(enter name here)"_


	6. Chapter Five: Competition

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter Five: Competition_

"For the past week, I've seen improvements in each and every one of you," Inuyasha complimented, gazing at each of the sleepy contestants on an early Monday morning. "Note that this isn't the extent of your improvement as we will continue to train and coach you. But judging from this first week, I've no doubt each of you will go far and surpass your initial goal."

At his praise, the entire group burst into applause. They were ready, eager, and excited for what laid ahead of them. They were having fun, they were befriending each other despite being competitors, and they were chasing after their dreams. What could be better than that?

"Now, I have some exciting news for you," Inuyasha continued. "At the end of this week, we're going to be heading towards Tokyo's Disney Resort. We will be hosting our first singing competition there. Today, you will spend some time picking a song of your choice and for the remainder of this week, you are to practice your performance."

"Is one of us going to get sent home?" Rin asked nervously, biting her bottom lip.

"Yes," he confirmed in reply. "The initial judges will be the audience. We want to see their feedback to your performance. The louder their applause and cheers, the higher you will rank. But the final and ultimate judges will be Myouga, who will be working with you on your choreography, Sesshoumaru, who will make sure his schedule is free on that date, and me, who will oversee the rest of this week and help you with any problems you may run into."

"Speaking of," Jakotsu drawled, leaning casually against the wall in the back of the room, "Where has Sesshoumaru been? I haven't seen him around for all of last week."

At his question, Kagome frowned and realized he was right. Ever since the night Sesshoumaru had drove her home, she had not seen him. She also couldn't seem to find her house keys. It was a pretty disastrous situation; she had her car towed and they had told her the repairs would take an infinite amount of time and now she could no longer enter her own house because she had locked herself out.

Just how she had gotten into her house that night was still a mystery to her. She could recall no memories of that night past getting into Sesshoumaru's car. She had been left with no choice but to crash at Sango's place for the past week and also relying on Sango for transportation. It was a good thing Sango loved her like a sister or Kagome knew she would have been kicked out already.

"_When I get my car and house keys back, I'm going to treat her to a nice, fancy dinner,"_ Kagome thought to herself.

"Sesshoumaru told me he's been busy this week. With what, I'm not sure of, but that prick will always be able to find something to do," Inuyasha explained. "He probably couldn't wait to leave me to do all the work anyway, the damn bastard."

"Nice to see the brotherly love the two of you share," Kouga commented dryly.

"Keh. Whatever man," Inuyasha huffed, crossing his arms. "As for the rest of you, get to work! You don't have time to waste!"

Immediately, the group sprang into action. Some formed groups while others wandered off by themselves to sort through their plans.

Despite Shippo and Rin's pleading for Kagome to join them as a trio, Kagome shook her head with a small smile before making her way over to an abandoned corner. She sat down and crossed her legs comfortably before putting her headphones on. She shuffled through her playlist on her iPod, trying to decide which song to perform and what dance moves should accompany the song.

After browsing through her entire playlist, Kagome sighed dejectedly. None of the songs she had seemed to jump out at her. Exhaling deeply, she shifted positions, determination written across her face as she sorted through her iPod again.

Finally, she stopped at "Every Heart" by BoA and instantly, a smile lit up her face. This was the song she wanted to sing. She knew it. Kagome put the song on repeat and closed her eyes, allowing the music to fully envelope her.

Unbeknown to Kagome, she had begun singing the song. Her soft, melodious voice traveled around the room, stopping everyone mid-movement and mid-sentence. Their jaws dropped, mesmerized by how beautiful a voice Kagome had. They didn't dare interrupt her though, for fear that the pleasant sound would end. But even as they gaped in awe, their hearts grew fearful of the upcoming competitions. How would they compete against her at the Disney Resort and even beyond that when she had such a captivating voice?

Before they knew it, Kagome's last note faded gently and she opened her eyes, only to be startled by the site laid out in front of her. Every single pair of eyes were focused solely on her and they had even moved to surround her. If she hadn't been claustrophobic before, she would have been now.

Realizing what had happened, Kagome's cheeks tinged a bright pink and she lowered her head, allowing her bangs to hide her face. She hadn't realized she had an audience. In fact, she hadn't even realized she had been singing aloud until she saw their expressions.

This is why she didn't want to accept the position in the first place. If it hadn't been for Sesshoumaru's taunts, she would have been adamant about not accepting the chance to become a star. She wasn't suited for that sort of career. Stage fright has always been one of the biggest phobias for her, despite her adoration for singing. She was a shower singer. Someone only meant to sound beautiful and captivating while in private, with no one else around.

She was worried about how she would compete at the end of the week. What if she choked again? What if she failed? Kagome didn't know what she would do then. The humiliation would follow her for years to come, much like the haunting memory of the last time she had been on stage.

"Kagome!" Rin squealed, breaking the awkward silence, "I knew you had a good voice from the CD Sesshoumaru-sama played of your voice, but I didn't know it was _that_ beautiful! Oh, you're going to win! I know it!"

"I'm not so sure, Rin," Kagome replied, a melancholy smile shadowing her face. "I don't even know if I want to win or not."

"Then leave!" Kaguya snapped, her form tense with her outrage. "How dare you come here and take one of the ten spots when you don't even know what it is you truly want. There is someone else out there who wants this more than anything, but here you are, in this competition, filled with uncertainty. If you don't know, then leave and give someone else a chance. Give _us_ a fair chance."

"Kaguya…" Kagome stammered, eyes wide, "That… that's not what I meant."

"She is correct," another voice agreed, cutting into the conversation.

Everyone swiveled their head in the direction of the monotonous voice and watched as Sesshoumaru emerged from the door into the dance studio. His lips were set in a harsh, thin line and his golden eyes were hard and unyielding. He strolled towards where the group had gathered, taking note of the angry stances of some, the concerned facial expressions of others, and Kagome's wide, red rimmed moist eyes.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome breathed, surprise etched across her face as she scrambled to stand up.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," the others echoed, immediately moving away from Kagome to stand on the sidelines, leaving him front and center.

"If you are not content with your position here, you may leave. If you are uncertain of your goals, you may leave. Do not waste my valuable time with your presence if this is not what you desire," Sesshoumaru continued, suppressed anger laced within his words.

He had decided it was time to stop acting like a coward by running and hiding from Kagome because of his lack of self control, but this was certainly not the sight he thought he would be dealt with when he finally faced her.

Her hesitation angered him. Kagome had the talent required and even he could admit that she had a great possibility of becoming the winner of his competition, but her lack of self confidence, apparently, ruined all her positive factors. He wanted to coach her and have her become the best she could be. She had a natural talent that others did not have and she would be a valuable asset to his company. But what was the use of keeping her if she didn't wish to keep herself here?

"I will allow you this moment to choose your future, Higurashi," Sesshoumaru said harshly, causing some people to wince. "You may leave now, and not a moment later, and I will find a suitable replacement or you may choose to stay and prove your worth."

"Sesshoumaru-sama…," Kagome repeated softly and unsurely, unable to take her eyes off of him. He was intimidating, but it was also because of his intimidation that Kagome found herself drawn to him. He was beautiful because of it. But right now, what he wanted from her was an answer; an answer that she didn't have.

Silence reigned for several moments and Sesshoumaru nodded once in understanding. "So be it. I will seek for a replacement."

Without waiting for a response, Sesshoumaru strolled away, his posture stiff and rigid.

The other nine contestants and Inuyasha stared at Kagome in blatant shock, waiting with baited breath for her next move. Would she really leave just like that? Would she refuse to put up a fight for this once in a lifetime chance to make it big?

"No…," Kagome whispered, her eyes sliding shut in resignation and defeat. Tears filled her eyes and slowly trailed down her cheeks as she leaned heavily against the wall. As if losing all her energy, she slowly slid down until she was curled into herself on the floor. She didn't want things to have ended up this way. She hadn't meant for those words to sound as they had, but what could she do now? Without waiting for her response, Sesshoumaru had made the decision for her. She had been kicked out.

"Kagome, are you okay?" Shippo asked gently, putting a clawed hand on her shoulder.

"Everything will be fine, you'll see," Rin added, attempting to brighten the situation.

"Well, this is what you wanted, wasn't it?" Kaguya sneered unsympathetically.

"Shut up, bitch," Kouga snapped, "don't talk to my woman like that."

"She isn't 'your woman' or have you forgotten already? Do you need another swift kick in the ass to remind you?" Kaguya threatened, eager to use all her pent up anger from the situation.

A sudden and abrupt movement from the corner of their eyes made them pause. Before they had the time to realize what was going on, they were promptly knocked out of the way as Kagome rushed past them to chase after Sesshoumaru.

"Kagome!" Rin and Shippo called out worriedly. They started running after her but Inuyasha quickly held them back. "Give her a moment," he suggested.

Kagome burst out of the studio door and into the hallway. She looked left and right, sighing a breath of relief as she caught sight of Sesshoumaru turning the corner. If she had lost him now, there would officially be no going back. At this rate though, anything was still possible. She may still stand a chance. Without pausing to think her actions through, Kagome took off running down the hallway after him, her footsteps pounding loudly behind her.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" she called out, "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

She didn't know if she was too late. She didn't know if Sesshoumaru would forgive her for her moment of insecurity, but she did know that she couldn't give up now. She's already made it this far and she knew she would regret it in the future if she left now. No matter what she may have to do or say, she needed to get her position back. It would be the only way she'd be satisfied. Even if she lost in future competitions, then she could say that she had tried.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Kagome called out again, panting with exertion. Why did he have to walk so fast? "Please, wait!"

And finally, _finally_, he heard her for he stopped mid-stride in the middle of the hallway. He kept his back towards her, waiting for her to catch up to him. He would not give her the satisfaction of having his full attention. She was no longer worthy of that much. She had disappointed him. And if there had been anything Sesshoumaru had learned from his past, it was to never expect too much from someone.

Yet, here he was, disappointed in a woman again because he held high expectations of her.

He waited until she had caught up to him. He could hear her clearly. The way her heart was rapidly pounding, the rush of blood through her system, and the way she was breathing heavily. He closed his eyes in shame. The images he had conjured up in his mind were anything but innocent, but those senses; they were so hauntingly familiar, but so foreign to him now. He needed to escape and fast.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome gasped, holding herself upright by placing a palm against the wall. "Please, I need to speak to you."

"Speak. Then leave," Sesshoumaru commanded, still refusing to turn and look at her.

Kagome was silent for a moment as she attempted to gather her thoughts. Her gaze settled upon his rigid shoulders and broad back. Her eyes were sad; she knew she had lost whatever little respect Sesshoumaru had for her. She bit her bottom lip and decided to get straight to the point.

"I want to stay," she said softly, but with conviction laced in her tone. "I want to stay here. I want to learn and do my best and maybe even win this competition. I want to have courage and self assurance and security. I want independence. I want to stay. Please."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews I got from last chapter. I love hearing from you guys! Without you, my lovely readers, I wouldn't have the motivation to keep on writing.

**auto review: **(if you're not sure what to say, drop me one of these anyway!)

_"Dear Raine,  
Uh-oh. Looks like Kagome's in deep trouble now.  
Is Sesshoumaru going to let her rejoin the competition?  
It seems like the drama is starting to get thick now!  
Update soon!!  
Signed,  
(enter name)"_


	7. Chapter Six: Practice

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter Six: Practice_

Sesshoumaru was silent. In fact, he had been so silent for so long that Kagome thought he didn't hear her or that he simply found her plea too idiotic to give a response to. But to her surprise, Sesshoumaru slowly turned around and faced her. His facial expression was still grim, but stoic, but it was a vast improvement from staring at his back.

"What makes you believe I would allow you back?" he asked her.

"Because I've come to understand you over the past couple of weeks," Kagome replied without hesitation. "You wouldn't have spent those few minutes saying those words to me if I wouldn't have the possibility of being a good asset to your company."

Sesshoumaru pondered over her words, surprised at just how well she could understand him despite their limited contact. He stared at her, silently challenging her and testing her. Kagome stared straight into his eyes, unwavering, subconsciously realizing what he was doing. She refused to look away until she saw him nod slightly. Then, all at once, her body relaxed and it felt like the burden upon her shoulders was released.

"Very well. You may resume your previous plans," Sesshoumaru relented.

"Thank you," Kagome whispered, too grateful to say anything else. She buried her face in her hands and inhaled deeply before wiping away stray tears. When she lifted her head, she found herself face to face with a pair of keys; her house keys.

Her gaze traveled from her shiny keys to the clawed fingers that held it to the magenta strips upon the wrist and finally to Sesshoumaru himself.

"What?" Kagome asked, not comprehending what she was seeing.

"You fell asleep that night," Sesshoumaru explained, "and I needed to return to my home."

"Oh… thank you," she replied, reaching up to grab her keys. Pocketing them, she looked at him again. "And thank you for giving me another chance."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru responded before turning away and continued walking down the hall towards his office.

It was only until he was about to shut his door did he hear Kagome's loud exclamation echoing from the hallway.

"…WAIT A GODDAMN MINUTE!"

He smirked and shut the door firmly behind him.

* * *

The light slowly flickered on inside the Tashio auditorium and Kagome had to shield her eyes to prevent herself from being temporarily blinded. Dropping her bag beside the door, she slowly walked up the steps to the stage. Hesitantly, she walked to the center and stared out at all the empty seats in front of her. Her hands moved to tighten her ponytail, needing something to do to quell the nervous sensation.

She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I can do this," she whispered. "I've got to."

Noticing a stereo left on the stage floor, she walked over to it and plugged it in. She slipped her disc inside and pushed play. Moving to the microphone stand, she grasped it with both hands tightly and closed her eyes, concentrating on the notes. When her singing cue began, she could feel her breath catching in her throat, but she pushed herself forward and began to sing.

Kagome winced when her voice cracked upon the first note, but she pressed forward, determined to make it through the practice she had set up for herself. She only had two more days until the performance was going to take place. She couldn't believe how fast time flew by and how unsure she was about her performance.

For the past three days, she had taken the taxi home rather than getting a ride from Sango. Now that she had her keys back, she was living back at home, but she couldn't believe that all this time, Sesshoumaru had been in possession of her keys. It was incredibly inconsiderate of him to not return the keys to her for a week. Even if he had been busy, it would have only taken him less than a minute to return them to her. She had been at the dance studio every single day for at least eight hours so he had plenty of opportunities to track her down.

The irritation she felt at just the thought of Sesshoumaru's inconsideration made her hit a wrong note and she paused. Letting go of the microphone to run her fingers through her bangs, she restarted the CD and tried again. This time, she made it through the song successfully, but it still wasn't her best. Kagome could feel her frustration growing. Why couldn't she seem to get it right?

"It would prove to be helpful if you were not so tense."

Startled, Kagome spun around with a small shriek, searching for a face to the voice even though she already knew who it was. There was no possible way she could mistaken the deep baritone voice for someone else.

"Don't you know it's rude to sneak up on someone?" she snapped.

"Don't you know it's against company policy to be here after eight?" Sesshoumaru countered back, leaning against the wall casually with his hands tucked in his pockets. His tie had been loosened and the first two buttons of his shirt was open. It was the most casual she had seen of Sesshoumaru but his posture was still ramrod straight.

"I need the practice," Kagome muttered, looking away from him, "but I can't practice if you're here."

"How so?"

"I can't sing when I have an audience," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders.

"Then having you perform would be a futile attempt. You might as well leave right now," Sesshoumaru suggested, his tone hard.

"I'm trying, alright? I said I would!" Kagome responded, gritting her teeth as she stormed over to the stereo to hit play again.

As soon as she opened her mouth, she knew it would come out wrong. She was angry whereas the song needed to be soft and gentle and the sound that escaped her was just the opposite. She stopped and sighed, reaching down for her water bottle to take a quick swig of water.

Sesshoumaru pushed himself away from the wall and strolled down the auditorium aisles. He stopped at the first row and sat down in the seat right in front of Kagome. "Attempt it once more," he commanded, his citrine eyes serious and his attention unwavering.

Nodding with determination, Kagome closed her eyes and sang the song from the beginning. About half way through, Sesshoumaru stopped her. "Your vocals are becoming too shrill, Higurashi. Again."

Over and over, Kagome attempted the song, but Sesshoumaru kept stopping her at different intervals to point out her mistakes. With each pause, Kagome's mood and attitude became more negative until she was so frustrated, she ripped out her hair band and threw it as hard as she could across the room.

"I can't do it!" she cried, resisting the urge to stomp her foot like a child.

"This Sesshoumaru does not repeat himself, Higurashi," he said, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his seat. "What did I say to you earlier tonight?"

Pausing to think, Kagome suddenly realized what he was talking about. She was too tense and too nervous. She closed her eyes again, focusing on centering herself. She inhaled deeply, allowing peace to enter her body. Then, she exhaled loudly to release the tension.

For several minutes, the auditorium was silent save for the sounds of Kagome's meditation. When Sesshoumaru was beginning to suspect that she had fallen asleep, Kagome opened her eyes. Her stance now loose and relaxed, she flashed him a grateful smile before pushing play on the stereo again.

While the beginning instrumentals played, Kagome kept her eyes focused on him. Somehow, singing in front of him didn't feel as scary or as intimidating as before. Maybe she had simply gotten used to his presence, so instead of singing with shut eyes, she decided to try something different.

At her cue, she began belting out the words to the song, her sapphire eyes locked upon golden ones. Neither looked away from each other and Kagome felt her confidence grow when Sesshoumaru made no move to interrupt her. Even when her last note trailed to a soft silence, he still did not speak ill of her performance.

Filled with newfound courage, Kagome replayed the track and attempted it again. Joy filled her when Sesshoumaru nodded his approval.

And for the rest of the night, Kagome practiced while Sesshoumaru watched on, silently assisting her in the shadows of the auditorium.

* * *

"Thank you for all your help, Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome remarked as the two of them descended the stairs and walked out the lobby doors. "I don't think I could have improved so much if you hadn't been there to offer your advice."

Sesshoumaru made a noise in the back of his throat to acknowledge her comment, but offered no additional response. His eyes scanned the area, searching for her vehicle but he came up empty handed. "How do you intent on getting home, Higurashi?"

"I'm going to catch a cab," Kagome replied, looking left and right for any incoming taxis, but not seeing any.

"It would not inconvenience me to assist you with a mode of transportation," Sesshoumaru offered.

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked, trying not to sound too excited, but the way her eyes lit up gave it away.

"I would not have offered if I were uncertain of my decision," Sesshoumaru remarked dryly.

"Then I would really appreciate it," she replied genuinely, a soft smile on her face.

Together, the two walked to Sesshoumaru's vehicle. They were silent, but they walked beside each other with comfort and ease, as if all barriers, demon and human, man and woman, employer and employee, cold and hot, had been removed or forgotten.

The car ride the second time around was vastly different from the first. Kagome's whimsical humming and singing filled the otherwise silence in the vehicle. She was able to practice for her upcoming performance while Sesshoumaru was able to continue hearing a very skilled and talented voice singing.

"Do not forget what you have learned today," Sesshoumaru advised to her at one point, his eyes concentrated solely on the road in front of him.

"I won't let you regret the time you took to help me tonight and I won't let you regret having given me another chance," Kagome promised in response.

"You will do well," he complimented.

And although it was simple, those words made Kagome's smile wider and she had to look out the window to hide it because try as she might, her smile wouldn't fade.

Sooner than she liked, Sesshoumaru pulled to a stop in front of her house. She unbuckled her seatbelt and looked at him for a brief moment. "Will you be there tomorrow evening?"

"I have plans I can not escape from," he told her, resting an arm upon the steering wheel as he looked at her. "But as you are well aware, I will be present for the performance."

Nodding, Kagome exited the car and thanked him before closing the door.

She thought he would have driven off right away, but he didn't. Surprised, she continued to stand there, waiting for his departure as it was the polite thing to do considering he had given her a ride home. The window from the passenger side rolled down and Sesshoumaru's liquid voice drifted to her ears.

"I will come for you tomorrow morning at seven. Do not be tardy."

Before she could respond, the window was rolled back up and Sesshoumaru drove off, tail lights blinking at her from a distance.

Dumbfounded, Kagome continued to stand there until she was able to snap out of her daze. With a goofy smile upon her face, she entered her house, humming all the while.

* * *

A/N: As always, I'm loving the reviews I'm getting because it allows me to understand your thoughts on my writing. I appreciate everyone's honesty, support, and encouragement. For the positive things, I'll continue doing my best. For the negative things, I'll try to improve. Thank you, my lovely readers!

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_"Dear Raine,  
Was that just the smallest bit of fluff I saw?  
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Are they getting closer?  
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Update soon... or else!  
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	8. Chapter Seven: Showtime

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter Seven: Showtime_

Kagome pulled her curtains aside to peek out at her front yard at seven o'clock sharp the next morning, still in apparent disbelief over Sesshoumaru's abrupt offer. Or rather, demand. He hadn't bothered to give her a choice in the matter, but sure enough and true to his words, Sesshoumaru's car was parked in front of her house.

Completely bewildered, Kagome; nonetheless, grabbed her purse and a light jacket before leaving the house. Cautiously, almost as if she were afraid he'd suddenly drive off without her, she approached the car. Her hand reached out to open the passenger side door and when her fingers had just begun to brush against the cool scrap of metal, the window was rolled down and she quickly retracted her hand. She peered into the vehicle in time to see Sesshoumaru slowly turning to face her, a grim expression upon his fast.

"You are late," he stated matter-of-factly.

Frowning, Kagome pulled the door open and climbed in, regardless of his sour mood. She cast a quick glance at his dashboard and suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and sigh.

"I profusely apologize for making you wait two additional minutes, Sesshoumaru-sama," she replied, unable to hide her sarcasm.

"What a peculiar method to show one's gratitude," Sesshoumaru remarked breezily with a single raised brow.

She was about to reply with another smart response when his words processed in her mind. Immediately, her jaw snapped shut and Sesshoumaru had to hide his victorious smirk.

"Thank you," Kagome quickly blurted out; her words filled with sincerity.

Nodding his head, he pulled the shift lever into the appropriate place and began driving toward Taisho Records.

And for the last couple of days before the first competition, the pair had built their schedules around each other. Sesshoumaru would be waiting for her in front of her house at seven every morning. Kagome would continue practicing at the company after hours and Sesshoumaru would arrive when he was done with his paperwork to assist her, despite having rejected that notion previously. Then, Sesshoumaru would drop her off at home and Kagome would stare at his tail lights blinking at her from a distance, with a warm heart, until it disappeared from her sight.

Finally, the day of the competition had arrived and Kagome was a nervous wreck although Sesshoumaru had assured her that she would do well.

She stood in a group with the nine other contestants, all of them staring in awe at their surroundings. Inuyasha and Myouga stood ahead of them, introducing them to Tokyo's Disney Resort. They explained the procedure of the competition and their form of judging before giving them a chance to explore.

Excitedly, the group broke into smaller pairings and they scurried off to have some fun before they had to compete.

"Remember to meet back at the performing stage in three hours time!," Inuyasha hollered after them.

Rin and Shippo both ran for the roller coasters, laughing and dragging Kagome along behind them, who had an equally wide smile on her face. Their happiness was contagious and Kagome found herself loosening up, knowing that when it was time to return, all those tense emotions would come back full force.

Until then, she would try to enjoy herself, so she shook her head to disperse all her negative thoughts. She turned her attention back to Rin and Shippo as they finally came to a stop to wait in line for the biggest and scariest rollercoaster Disney had to offer.

Three hours passed in a blur of excited chatters, terrified shrieks, and hyper laughter. Before they knew it, the three of them were backstage, preparing for their performance that would change their future, for better or for worse.

Kagome tried not to hyperventilate as she stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were wide and frantic and her face was pale. Even the baby pink dress she wore, meant to flatter her skin tone, only made her appear sickly.

"Are you alright?" Myouga asked, coming up behind her. She flinched as he startled her, but both chose not to acknowledge it lest it shot at her nerves even more.

"I'm not sure," Kagome responded, feeling a little lightheaded.

"Well, compose yourself, young lass," he said, placing a comforting hand upon her shoulder, "the show is starting in fifteen minutes."

"Okay," she whispered as Myouga walked away. She glanced at the clock quickly and closed her eyes to inhale deeply and exhale slowly. Everyone else was bustling to get into their appropriate placement or to jam in one final practice session, but she tuned it all out. She pushed all noise out of her mind and concentrated on herself and her steady breathing. All was quiet until the sudden wild applause shattered her concentration.

She knew, at that very moment, Inuyasha must have stepped out from behind the curtain to begin the introductions. Snapping her eyes open, she listened closely to Inuyasha's words.

"Welcome to Taisho Record's first annual singing competition," he greeted the audience, "I'm proud to introduce ten lovely contestants to you this fine afternoon. Each of them have worked hard to get to their current standpoint and; oh, what the hell. I'm no good at this."

Inuyasha paused as the audience broke out into amused chuckles. Even Kagome, nervous as she was, couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"Anyway, this is the first round and you're going to be a part of the judging process. We want applause, cheers, and whatever else you've got to offer. The louder you are for someone, the higher they'll rank. So scream till you're hoarse!"

At that, the audience began clapping, whistling, and cheering to show their enthusiasm.

Inuyasha smirked, reveling at how easy it was to rile them up. "Now, the first contestant is Samuru Jakotsu!"

As soon as his name was called, Jakotsu sauntered out with a sway of his hips, belting out the first sound to the rock song he had chosen. The multicolored lights flashed and danced across the stage as Inuyasha quickly stepped to the side. The audience was wild and reckless in their support for him and Jakotsu soaked it up and used it to his benefit.

Kagome peeked through the side curtains and gulped at how many people were out there to watch their performance. She smiled though, at how well Jakotsu was doing. He was displaying his masculinity but also appearing feminine at the same time. It was truly a unique sight and one he would score well on, if the encouragement from the crowd was any indication.

When his song ended, he bowed gracefully, blew the audience a kiss, and left; still swinging his hips. Inuyasha returned to introduce the next contestant and so it went until Kagome's name was called. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart was beating rapidly as she stepped onto the stage.

It was quiet and the stage lights were warm upon her face, shining down directly upon her. She looked out at the audience. It didn't matter who was out there as long as she could see Sesshoumaru. She had grown to be comfortable singing to him and she vowed to do the same so she could succeed. But as she scanned the crowd, she couldn't see him.

Where was he? He had promised to be there. He was _required_ to be there.

Fear seized her heart and she felt like fleeing when she heard the instrumentals begin to play. Frantic eyes darted across the area, but with each passing moment, she could feel her hope dwindling. Sesshoumaru was not there. Her chances to win had just gone up in smokes.

She gripped the microphone tightly with both hands, glad she had mild support from the microphone stand or she surely would have fallen over in fright. Determined, she resorted to closing her eyes and imagined that she was alone. It hadn't worked in the past, but it was the only plan she had and she had to try.

Kagome listened closely and when she heard her cue, she opened her mouth to sing and immediately winced. Her voice wavered and cracked, revealing how nervous she was. Still, she pressed on, refusing to give up even though she sounded completely weak.s

Even if it was the worst and only performance she'd ever give, she wanted to finish the song, unlike how she had been in the past. She didn't want to flee from the stage again.

She cracked her eyes open into thin slits to gaze at the audience for their reactions and it didn't look very positive for her. Then, out of her peripheral vision, she noticed a large crowd of people shifting positions. Opening her eyes fully to focus on that section of the audience, she watched as a figure pushed his way past the crowd.

It was Sesshoumaru.

He was rushing to the front and she knew it was for her; so that she could see him, regain her confidence, and overcome her stage fright. She fell silent during the song's interval and touched tears filled her eyes. Halfway through the crowd, he sensed her eyes upon him and he raised his head to return her gaze.

His confident, piercing eyes met hers, much like her practice performances, and she felt the world fall away. There was nothing and no one but Sesshoumaru and his eyes. With renewed courage, she sang with a new burst of energy that surprised both herself and the audience.

The cheers and whistles fell upon deaf ears since Kagome only had eyes for Sesshoumaru, her secret knight in shining armor. The way Sesshoumaru had pushed past the crowd replayed in her mind and she pulled the microphone off the stand in a raw display of genuine emotions. Her facial expressions and hand gestures as she sang were strong and firm and confident.

Others thought her tears were from being overemotional about the song, but Kagome knew the truth. A hand gripped the microphone tightly as she sang with a powerful voice and the other hand was clenched in a fist, but placed over her heart. She sung like she had never sang before and Kagome knew that she had truly shone and captivated the audience with her performance.

But was it enough to keep her in the running?

As the song came to a close, the audience went wild. They were perplexed at the sudden change in her abilities, but chose to support her regardless. Still, the sounds didn't reach Kagome's ears. The only thing she could focus on was Sesshoumaru's nod of approval and the warmth she thought she saw in his eyes.

It was in that very moment, Kagome realized something very important and something that she must never, ever tell anyone.

She was beginning to fall for Sesshoumaru.

* * *

A/N: Tehehehe. How did you like that? I LOVED writing it. =] Also, I wanted to take the time to tell you, my lovely readers, that I'm actually in the process of closing on a house so all my time for the next two or three weeks will be mostly devoted to that. That's why I haven't been able to update Flight of Love because I simply haven't had the time to sit down and write. If updating is a bit slow in the future, please forgive me and know that as soon as all my work is done and I'm stress-free again, I'll be updating frequently again.

**auto review:**

_"Dear Raine,  
NO WAY! Did he really do that? Sesshoumaru?  
That's not possible!  
Does that mean he's falling in love with her too?  
UPDATE SOON!  
I want to see what happens next!  
Hurry, hurry!  
Signed,  
(enter name here)"_


	9. Chapter Eight: Elimination

1, 000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter Eight: Elimination_

The rest of the competition had gone off without a hitch; however, before anyone could take a moment to reminisce on how well they had performed, they found themselves gathering back at the dance studio in Taisho Records. They were waiting for the arrival of Sesshoumaru for the moment they were all dreading.

The first elimination.

Inuyasha and Myouga were already there, but they refused to budge on giving away any hints on who was to be eliminated. Kaguya, Ayame, and Naraku had pestered them until Inuyasha had nearly been driven up the wall and Myouga had resorted to covering his ears. Still, their lips were sealed shut.

They were so nervous the only thing they could do was stand there awkwardly, wringing their hands together in dread. They didn't want to be the one that was eliminated but they also didn't wish for one of the other contestants to go home. Over the span of the last several weeks, each contestant had formed a close bond despite being competitors. Some were closer than others, but nonetheless, ties had been made.

It was a vicious cycle; allowing them to bond over their love of music and their desire to succeed and achieve fame, only to rip them apart one by one through the form of elimination. Still, they had known it was something that had to be done. They could only hope that once the competition was done and over with, their fragile friendships could be salvaged.

After what felt like an eternity, Sesshoumaru finally made his appearance, emanating his usual grace, regal, and poise. He had a clipboard in hand and his facial expression gave nothing away - as per usual.

With wide, doe-like eyes, the ten contestants stared at him, already feeling their hearts dropping to the pit of their stomach.

This was it. There was no going back.

"As you are all well aware," Sesshoumaru said with no preamble, "today, we will eliminate the first contestant. Before we head in that direction; however, I wish to take a moment to express how proud I am of the ten that stand before me. I have not been here each day to assist and train you, but I have been able to see and hear your improvements. From the first day you stepped through this door until the first competition at the Disney Resort, each of you have made significant changes. Do not lose sight of them."

He looked at each of the contestants he had hand picked from more than five thousand applicants, a sense of pride swelling within him at the thought of what a fine choice he had made. Of course, some of them needed minor attitude tweaks, but that could always be worked on at a later date. Talent wise; however, proved that he still had impeccable skills in knowing what was the best.

Sesshoumaru could see them smiling and nodding, as if they had been renewed by his simple words. They were confident in their own abilities once more, but he also knew the blow had not yet been delivered. One of them still had to be sent home.

A strangled snicker off to the side caught his attention and he turned to look at Inuyasha with a single raised eyebrow.

"That was probably the most I've ever heard you talk, Mister Stick-in-the-Ass," Inuyasha sputtered with a hoot.

"Half-breed…," Sesshoumaru growled in a threatening manner, narrowing his eyes agitatedly.

Inuyasha only continued to laugh in response.

Kagome found it to be the strangest thing. On the surface, they acted like they could not stand each other; that they simply hated each other with every fiber of their being, but she could tell it was not the case. Beneath the harsh words, the bad tones, and the death glares laid something more; something that wasn't hard to see if one knew where to look. It was concern for each other and a family tie that was not so easily severed, despite their clashing differences.

The fact that they were almost constantly at each other's throats when they were in the same room made Kagome smile wistfully. It was in those moments she found herself missing her younger brother, Souta. Absentmindedly, she wondered how he was doing and if he was missing her as much as she did him.

Shaking her head gently, she knew that the little bugger had probably forgotten all about her now that she was quite a distance from home.

Inuyasha's grumblings of how 'the jackass was giving him the dirty work again' roused her from her thoughts. Looking over at him, she was mildly surprised to find Inuyasha holding the clipboard that had been in Sesshoumaru's possession just a few minutes prior. The image of Sesshoumaru forcibly shoving it into Inuyasha's arms had her stifling a laugh.

Inuyasha continued his complaining for a few more minutes until he was finally calm enough to proceed with their plans. With a humph, Inuyasha flipped through the pages upon the clipboard, carefully reading the words typed upon the sheet.

"Lesse…," he murmured to himself while Sesshoumaru glanced at him impatiently.

"Well? What's the result?" Kouga snapped, shoving his way to the front of the crowd. He was even more impatient than Sesshoumaru, but unlike him, Kouga didn't have a full schedule to face ahead of him.

"Listen," Inuyasha replied harshly, looking up from his papers to cross his arm over his chest, despite the discomfort of the clipboard digging into his underarms, "if you keep rushing me, you'll be the first one eliminated. Hands down."

Immediately, Kouga cowered down and fell silent, a displeased, sour look marring his face.

After several additional moments of silence, Sesshoumaru finally spoke up. "Samuru Jakotsu."

The numerous amounts of reverberating gasps couldn't have been held back even if they had tried. Jakotsu's eyes widened in fear and Ayame gripped his arm tightly.

It wasn't possible, was it? Everyone knew that Jakotsu was the strongest contestant. He rocked the stage at the Resort. He wasn't going to get eliminated, was he? Is it because he's _gay_?

Sesshoumaru's thin lips twitched, an inkling of a smirk making its way to his face. It was absolutely priceless to see everyone suffering from mild heart attacks all because he had spoken one name.

"S-sesshoumaru-sama?" Jakotsu asked, his voice trembling slightly in apprehension.

"You are the winner of the first round; thus, you are safe."

All at once, the swoosh of sharply exhaled breath filled the room. Ayame squealed excitedly for her friend and embraced him in a congratulatory hug. But the next instant, everything fell gloomy again.

"And the one that scored the lowest was…," Inuyasha looked up and his eyes swept towards the eliminated, "Yama Hiten."

Immediately, Hiten's eyes slid closed in defeat and his shoulders slumped forward. It was as if all his energy had suddenly been drained out of him.

"Sorry dude, but you're gone," Inuyasha added, shrugging his shoulders.

Tilting his head up, Hiten looked Sesshoumaru straight in the eye, a determined fire blazing in his own, "It's alright. When I become famous in the future, Taisho Records will just have to deal with the regret of not having kept me here."

Sesshoumaru nodded in response, "May we meet again in the future."

"You bet," he declared confidently, despite the strong blow to his pride and ego.

"Good luck in the future young grasshopper," Myouga said, patting him on the back, "it was great while it lasted."

Hiten looked at each of the fellow friends he had made on his short journey and pulled them all into a tight embrace before stepping back to flash them a bright smile. They were working so hard to achieve their dreams and thought he had lost this opportunity, it wasn't the end for him yet.

"I wish you all the best in this competition. I'll be watching," he told them.

And with one final farewell, Hiten left with his head held high and his usual swagger in his walk.

It was over. While Hiten had been the one to be eliminated, it only strengthened everyone else's resolve to do their best and achieve their goals. They weren't going to let anything stand in their way and they were going to try their best at everything from that point forward.

"The past few weeks have been tough on you guys," Myouga said to the remaining nine, "so we're allowing a short break. Three days vacation. No more, no less. Make sure to report back on the appropriate day or it's instant disqualification."

A murmuring of approvals rang through the studio and in a rush, everyone was gone save for Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and Myouga.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru commented, before taking his leave as well. He had a busy day ahead of him.

"It's only going to get harder from here on out," Inuyasha said absentmindedly, giving the list on the clipboard another once over.

Myouga could only nod his head in agreement.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Guys, give me another two or three weeks to get everything settled in regards to the new house. I just closed two days ago so there are much more stressful days to come. Rest assured when all is done, I'll be updating as frequently as I used to. Thanks for your patience.

**Auto Review:**

_"Dear Raine,  
Hiten? Why him?  
But... yeah, I guess it doesn't matter anyway.  
Since you didn't even WRITE his performance scene.  
Bad Raine!  
Update soon, alright?  
This chapter was boring! D=  
Signed,  
(Insert Name Here)"_


	10. Chapter Nine: Needing Each Other

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter 9: Needing Each Other_

Kagome crouched down on all fours. With calculated slowness, she crawled through the mud until she was behind the bushes in her backyard. Her hand sank into the wet mud and she could feel it inside her jeans. On second thought, she could feel it in her shirt as well.

She stifled a groan of exasperation, already deeply regretting her decision. Of all the things she could have done, she had gone ahead and chosen to get down and dirty with mud. It was coating her thoroughly and she was certain she smelled bad. At least it'll be like getting a complimentary spa and hopefully, her sacrifice will show with renewed, smooth skin.

Suddenly, she heard light footsteps and she froze. She didn't want to move too quickly and have the rustling leaves of the bushes give away her position. However, luck was not on her side. In fact, it was right out laughing at her expense.

An idle bee, round and fat in appearance, landed upon her still hand. Kagome's heart seized in fear as she watched the bee take a few steps up and down her hand. She inched her hand up slightly, hoping the bee would fly away, but it stayed put.

Panic began rising within her, but she didn't want to give her position away. She couldn't. The figure was still lurking on the other side. With wide, frantic eyes, Kagome watched as the bee slowly ascended his way up her arm.

Fear won out over her desire to remain hidden and quickly, she flung her hand up and shook it furiously. Wet mud splattered every which way, but the bee had finally decided to explore elsewhere. Putting a hand over her fast beating heart, Kagome exhaled sharply in relief.

Then, she heard a loud Amazon warrior cry and a heavy weight was suddenly thrown upon her back, sending her face first into the thick mud.

With a sputter, Kagome whipped her head around to glare at the culprit, whom was trying not to laugh. But once Rin took the opportunity to look at Kagome, she burst out into uncontrollable giggles.

"You think this is funny?" Kagome asked her, pointing at her mud smattered face.

As if sensing her next movement, Rin jumped off of Kagome and proceeded to run. Unfortunately, she wasn't quick enough because Kagome wrapped her hands around her waist and dragged her into the mud.

"No!," Rin screamed as she went down, struggling to escape.

"You can't escape that easily!," Kagome hollered maniacally, shoving handful after handful of wet mud into Rin's hair and face.

So preoccupied with her revenge, she failed to see Shippo sneaking up behind her. He, too, tackled her from behind and she dived head first into the mud once more. With a frustrated growl, Kagome leapt to her feet and chased Shippo across the yard with a clump of mud in her palm.

"Come here, Shippo! I won't hurt you," Kagome cooed.

"No way, Kagome. I don't believe a word of what you're saying!," Shippo exclaimed, running as fast as he could from the evil woman.

Deciding that her chances of catching the Kitsune were low to impossible, she stopped mid-stride, aimed, and tossed the handful of mud like a pitcher throwing a baseball. She watched with amusement as the clump hit him right on the back of his head.

Shippo growled in mock anger, "Oh. I'm going to get you now, Kagome."

Gulping, Kagome quickly realized that now, she was the one that needed to be running for her life. Without another thought, she took off running the way she had just came from. She didn't reach very far before Shippo wrestled her to the ground.

Seeing her chance, Rin jumped on the duo and the three of them began a game of wrestling in the grass. So into defeating one another, they failed to hear the squealing of tires, the slamming of car doors, and the ringing of the doorbell.

It was only when they heard the sound of someone clearing their throat loudly and agitatedly did they pause. Simultaneously, the trio tilted their faces up to stare at the figure looming darkly over them on the other side of the wooden fence.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" They all exclaimed in surprise, jumping up and apart from each other in the process.

"What are you doing here?" Kagome asked nervously, wiping both hands across her face in humiliation.

Sesshoumaru gave her a quick once over before blanching in disapproval. He was beginning to regret making a trip to her house. Surely he could find someone better suited for the role.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome pressed, breaking into his thoughts.

"I need to speak with you," he finally said, "privately."

"Oh, of course," she quickly agreed, wondering what could be so important that Sesshoumaru had personally decided to come to her house.

"Give me a few minutes, guys," Kagome told Rin and Shippo apologetically.

Opening the fence door, Kagome walked past Sesshoumaru to get into the house from the side door. Immediately, Sesshoumaru felt his eyes watering and his nose flaring in displeasure. He forced himself to hold his breath lest he inhaled more of that repugnant smell Kagome was currently carrying with her. Reluctantly, he followed after her into the house. Once in the living room, Kagome offered him a seat upon the sofa.

"Give me a few minutes to clean up my mess," Kagome told him sheepishly, "make yourself at home."

Nodding, Sesshoumaru gingerly sat down, his posture tense and uncomfortable. Stifling a chuckle at the sight, Kagome bounded upstairs to take a quick shower. She knew Sesshoumaru would most likely appreciate that she was no longer assaulting his nose with her offensive stench.

After what felt like an eternity to Sesshoumaru, who was still as uneasy in his surroundings as he had been before, Kagome ran down the stairs in a simple tank top and long pajama pants. Her hair was wrapped turban style with a towel and she had on a pair of fuzzy slippers.

"Sorry," she apologized as she took a seat across from him, "you needed to speak to me about something?"

"I came to seek your assistance," Sesshoumaru said, albeit hesitantly. He was still wondering if it was possible to find someone else to do him the favor.

Kagome raised a single eyebrow in surprise and leaned forward on her elbows. "Do tell."

"There is a charity gala event hosted by a rival company. My attendance is required," Sesshoumaru explained, "however, I also require a female counterpart."

Her jaw dropped open when she realized what he was asking her. She was hardly the type of girl to ask for such an event. It was going to be formal, posh, and boring; everything that Kagome was not. What had compelled Sesshoumaru to ask her would always remain a mystery.

"I apologize, but I don't think I would be the best person suited to play that role for you."

"Is it in your nature, Higurashi, to reject every opportunity that knocks upon your door?"

Kagome frowned, feeling mildly insulted.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she snapped.

"You attempted to reject my invitation to compete for a contract with Taisho Records. Now, you are rejecting yet another opportunity to make your name well known," Sesshoumaru pointed out, leaning back against the sofa, "Do you not realize the advantageous opening I have just bestowed upon you once more?"

"Oh, that's rich," Kagome scoffed, "You need me, but instead of flat out saying that, you're trying to turn it around to make it seem like I'm the one that needs you."

"Am I wrong in believing that you do, indeed, need this Sesshoumaru if you wish to rise to fame?"

"This is ridiculous. I'm done with this conversation," she spat vehemently, jumping up from her chair, "you can show yourself to the door."

With a growl of agitation, Kagome proceeded to leave the room, believing Sesshoumaru would know his presence was no longer welcome.

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, remained unmoving upon the plush sofa. His mind was whirling at this sudden change of events. He never thought asking Kagome to assist him would turn out this way. Now he was companionless to the gala and he had angered the woman. He needed her help more than she knew and more than he was willing to admit.

The issue was, could he risk bruising his ego and pride by chasing after her? Should he persuade her to agree to become his date for the one night event? There were a number of other women he could choose from, but out of them all, the only one that had stood out in his mind had been Kagome. There was a reason for that, he was sure of, but as he sat there, he couldn't recall what, exactly, those reasons were.

He was too busy trying to find a way to stop her from leaving without appearing weak or desperate. She was the one to understand him most, despite their limited contact. She was the one who could get under his skin if she chose to dig deep. She was the one who he could envision seeing on a regular basis in the future.

When all was said and done, was he ready to proceed to keep her in his life on such a personal level? Or should he allow her to walk away right now and have the only thing left between them be professionalism until she was eliminated or she was claimed the winner?

They had long surpassed their professional appearances. The line had been crossed the moment they began to schedule Kagome's practice sessions together, however subconscious they were.

He had to make a quick decision. She was getting farther and farther away with every passing second and each additional tick of the clock. He closed his eyes, not knowing, for once, if what he was about to do was the right thing.

Abruptly, he stood up and in a few rushed strides, he caught up to her. A clawed hand reached for her wrist and his fingers wrapped snugly around it, pulling her to a stop. Kagome refused to look at him, fiery still blazing in her sapphire eyes.

"I…," Sesshoumaru began, unable to get the words out.

Kagome remained silent and stubborn, wanting to hear what he wanted to say this time. Would he expel the fiery or feed the flame?

"I need you," he finally said, his voice low.

Surprised at his words, Kagome whirled around to stare at him, wanting to see if he was truly being genuine. Her eyes were wide as she searched his face for any indications of mockery, but she couldn't see any.

"This Sesshoumaru needs you," he repeated, his claws subconsciously giving her wrist a squeeze.

Her voice had ran away in the midst of her shock and the only thing she could do was continue to stare. Kagome must have heard him wrong. There was no possible way he had said what he did. It wasn't possible. Not now. Not ever.

"This Sesshoumaru…," he said for the final time, purposefully enunciating each word dramatically, "needs Kagome."

If at all possible, she felt her eyes widen even further. Not Higurashi. He hadn't referred to her by her last name, but her first. It sounded lovely coming from his lips. Mentally, she wished he would say it again.

She knew, at that very moment, she was sold. He could ask her to jump off a skyscraper and she would have been willing to do it. Sesshoumaru seemed to realize it too for his next words would seal the deal for his predicament.

"If you are willing, I would like for you to attend the gala with me as my female companion. You will provide for me an escape from the other women at the event and I will provide for you a personal advertisement and recommendation to people of important statures. Is that acceptable?"

She processed his words slowly, then she nodded her head. It was the only thing she could do for shock still had her nearly immobile.

Inwardly, Sesshoumaru had to suppress a smirk. Victory was sweet and he enjoyed basking in the afterglow of his accomplishments.

There was nothing, he deemed, that he could not succeed in.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry for how long it took for me to get this out. There's been some delays in my moving plans, so I'm still going to be pretty busy until the beginning of next month. I'm going to try my best to keep on updating though. Do forgive me if I take forever in updating this again, because despite that, I will continue to update _Ready, Set, Fall_ since it's a weekly drabble challenge event on Dokuga_Contest on LiveJournal that I participate in. Thanks for your patience, guys!

**auto review: **(for those who aren't sure what to say in a review)

_"Dear Raine,_  
_OH-EM-GEE._  
_Did Sesshoumaru really say,_  
_"This Sesshoumaru needs Kagome"?_  
_That's so unbelievable!_  
_I'll bet Kagome's about to suffer from a heart attack!_  
_So what happens next?_  
_I'm so impatient to find out!_  
_Update as soon as possible?_  
_Much Love,_  
_(enter name here)"_


	11. Chapter Ten: Beneath the Crescent Moon

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter Ten: Beneath the Crescent Moon_

Kagome was breathtakingly beautiful; that much, Sesshoumaru could admit. He had refrained himself from staring at her countless times throughout the night, but when they had came to a stop right before a wall of mirror decors, he found himself unable to tear his eyes away from her reflection. Even there, he could clearly see how well she complemented him.

She was holding a flute of wine in one elegant hand, the other wrapped gently around his forearm, while talking animatedly to Totosai, the founder and CEO of Fujiwara Records. He was a scrawny and frail man with a balding head, surprising facial hair, and overly large eyes. Sesshoumaru thought she would have been repulsed by Totosai's bony looks, but if she were, she hid it well.

He was an old man and should have retired long ago, but he had no wife and no children. It was a struggle for him to keep up with his company, but without a successor or even a potential successor, Totosai refused to give it up. Sesshoumaru could understand though since Totosai, like himself, had devoted his entire life to building his enterprise. After a lifetime of hard work and struggles, who would want to willingly give it up to a power and money hungry stranger?

They were rivals, in a sense, with their head-on clashing of new music artists as soon as Taisho Records had opened for business. But deep in his heart - deep, deep in his heart, Sesshoumaru felt for Totosai. He would never verbally admit it though, since that was a sure sign of weakness; just like he would never admit to his lingering feelings for Kagura, despite all that she had done to him. And just like how he would never admit to his growing affections for the woman beside him - a beauty to behold in her strapless ivory gown and laced heels. With her hair done up in soft curls, her skin creamy and smooth like her gown, and her head shimmering and sparkling with each movement from her jeweled headband, she looked every bit the vision of a goddess.

Not only did she look the part of a perfect female companion, but she acted the part as well. Her smile was natural and her eyes held genuine mirth. She was polite and classy, which had surprised him quite a bit. Too often in the past, even when he had not been so widely known, a woman would portray only one of the two date requirements and it had never been the latter. They focused so much on their appearance, they would forget their manners, but with Kagome, he knew he needn't have worried.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, Sesshoumaru turned to focus his attention on the current conversation at hand, only to see Kagome bidding Totosai a friendly farewell. Within moments, almost like a blur, Totosai was gone and he was alone with Kagome once more.

She leaned into him as she shifted her wine glass from one hand to the other, before using her free hand to rub at her aching cheeks.

"If I smile any wider, Sesshoumaru, my face is going to be permanently stuck like this," she whispered.

"It's almost over," he reassured her as they began strolling through the crowd again.

"Could you excuse me for a moment, Sesshoumaru? I'm going to use the restroom."

Before he could say a word, she had slipped her arm out from his and walked away with the sound of her heels clacking behind her. All at once, Sesshoumaru was struck with the notion of how cold and alone his arm was - like a part of him was missing without Kagome's hand looped through his escorting limb. He didn't have time to dwell on this new perspective as he spotted another important member of the industry trying to catch his attention.

Sesshoumaru walked towards him and offered a polite handshake before easing into light conversation about business. By the time the man had bid him a good evening, Sesshoumaru had realized Kagome had been gone for far too long. Concerned, he quickly scanned the room for her presence but did not see her. It wasn't possible for her to get lost since maps had been set out in each corner marking all the rooms, exhibits, and halls in the large building.

Frowning, Sesshoumaru quickened his pace as he hurried in and out of each section of the floor he was on. Still, by the end of his search, he still had not found Kagome. He squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled deeply to calm his racing heart. What if she felt sick? What if some crazed female decided to harass and harm her for arriving on his arm? All those notions made him queasy and a tight feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.

He wracked his brains for an idea, a place, or a situation. Anything to help him figure out where Kagome might be. Suddenly, his gold eyes snapped open. He knew where she was.

Cursing his own stupidity, Sesshoumaru rushed towards the front entrance, pushing the glass door open with a burst of energy. When they had arrived, Kagome had marveled at the lush garden and bright water fountain by the side of the building. There was suddenly no doubt in his mind that, that was where Kagome had chosen to go - especially if she had been overwhelmed tonight.

With his hair blowing backwards in the wind, he slow jogged to the fountain, his dress shoes thumping rhythmically against the concrete ground. And there, almost concealed in the shadows of nearby trees, sat a lone woman resting her chin in the palm of her hand, elbows cushioned by her knee.

Sesshoumaru skidded to a complete stop, feeling the anxiety within him rushing out so quickly he almost couldn't draw his breath. He would never be able to forgive himself if something had happened to her while in his care.

"Woman," he growled, as he slowly walked up to her, adjusting his disheveled suit and tie at the same time, "you just might be the death of me."

At the sound of his voice, Kagome snapped her head up, clearly startled. Her eyes were wide, resembling the eyes of a deer being caught in the headlights. The luminescent rays of the crescent moon hanging high upon the night sky made her watery eyes sparkle and the gloss upon her lips shimmer.

"Sorry," she said softly, lifting her head to meet his stony gaze, "I got a little overwhelmed in there and needed a moment to pull myself together."

Sesshoumaru tore his eyes away from her, hating how tempting she looked sitting on that stone bench with the moon overhead and the fountain spewing its clear water. Somehow, no matter how he looked at the situation, there was almost a romantic tinge to their current location. It might have been a place often used by couples to share whispered words and secret kisses. Just the thought of it had his skin tingling in anticipation, but he quickly pushed those thoughts back into the recess of his mind.

He blinked rapidly, chasing the mental thoughts and images away. It wouldn't do to act upon anything. It would only put himself in danger and place him right back into the past when he had nearly been broken by a mere woman. He could never expose himself to something like that again. One time was more than enough.

"You could have told me," Sesshoumaru replied stiffly, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"I saw you talking to someone. I didn't want to interrupt," she explained, "plus, I thought I would be back there before you realized I had disappeared. I really am sorry."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru grunted, unsure of what else he could say.

Kagome smiled and patted the empty space beside her. "Would you care to sit with me for a few moments? I promise we can go back to the gala when I've worked up my courage again."

Almost reluctantly, Sesshoumaru sat down beside her, turning his body away from her to look intently at the statue of a cherub standing in the center of the fountain, a tilted pitcher in hand and a ring of spraying water dousing the edge of the platform.

Silence reigned until Kagome cleared her throat softly and positioned herself so that she was staring right at him.

"Sesshoumaru."

"Yes?"

She waited quietly until his gaze slid towards her.

"I just wanted to thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience this. Whether I win the contest or not, I have learned a lot from this gala and it will be experience I take to the heart to guide me into the future, no matter what it is that I am doing."

Sesshoumaru's piercing eyes roamed her face and though he tried to speak, he realized he couldn't. It was like something had lodged itself in his throat and if he were to respond to her, he would only end up croaking. Instead, he could only nod in acknowledge. Then, almost as if he weren't in control of his own actions, he lifted an arm and ran the knuckle of his index finger down the side of her soft cheek.

She gasped in surprise before biting down on her bottom lip to stop it from quivering in anticipation of his next move. Did she dare to hope that he would initiate further contact? Even this, right here, right now, went beyond her wildest imagination. She was attracted to him, but was it a possible notion that he was as equally attracted to her?

"Is your face alright?" he asked suddenly, his voice huskier and deeper than he had intended and he watched as her cheeks flushed a light pink.

"What?" she breathed, nearly swooning at the way his baritone made her shiver in delight.

"Your face," Sesshoumaru repeated, retracting his arm to his side, hands clenched in a fist to prevent himself from touching her again. She was almost like a drug to him, an addiction of sorts, but he could never, ever fall for it; for her.

"Oh," Kagome gasped in understanding.

Earlier in the day, Sesshoumaru had taken her to a boutique to get a complete outfit for the gala. She was half excited and half nervous, but she had never expected her first experience in such an upscale store to be quite like the one she had.

With a rueful smile, Kagome thought back to that day's earlier events.

"_So what's the gala event like?" Kagome asked Sesshoumaru as he led her into a classy boutique. The atmosphere was drenched in sophistication and elegance and Kagome couldn't help but wince. She felt completely out of place and knew for a fact that she was. _

_As if sensing her minor distress, Sesshoumaru gently placed a hand on the small of her back and led her further into the boutique, walking past row after row of suits and formal dresses. Diamond accessories glimmered upon their cases on the walls, bright enough to blind them temporarily. When Kagome spotted a price tag amongst the sea of satin and lace fabrics, she gulped. The price for one outfit was probably enough for her to put a down payment on a house! _

"_Sesshoumaru," she whispered, "I don't think this is such a good idea."_

_He simply applied more pressure to her back, nearly having to shove her forward to get her to continue walking. "The gala," he said suddenly, "is a tedious event where my presence is required. Even more so this year because of the company's grand opening. We meet important record company presidents and discuss business including new music, new genres, and new artists or possible artists such as yourself. We wine, dine, dance, and gossip."_

"_Why me?" Kagome asked, still bothered by the unknown answer. _

"_I can tolerate your presence," Sesshoumaru admitted, "and I can sense you are not fake like the other women who deems it appropriate to hound me constantly. In addition, you are witty and dodging the attacks of other women at the event should be fairly simple for you. Lastly, you will not shame neither me nor you. You are respectful and polite, unless provoked."_

"_Sounds like I've landed myself on your good list," Kagome teased, unable to keep the smile off her face at his words._

"_No, I'm merely perceptive and observant," he denied as they came to a stop at the counter. _

_There wasn't anyone there and Kagome leaned against the marble counter with her arms crossed, staring at Sesshoumaru with mirth in her eyes._

"_Says the one who rushed to the front of the audience for me," Kagome quipped before she had time to process what it was she had just said. _

_Immediately, she stood up straight as her mouth dropped open in shock. She hadn't meant to verbalize the thought. What had happened that night had never been mentioned, much less discussed. She hadn't wanted to embarrass Sesshoumaru and Sesshoumaru, himself, still wasn't sure why he had done it. He had felt the compelling urge to assist her and when he saw her fumbling to continue, he was moving before he could think about his actions._

_Without words to clarify the situation, Kagome was free to think what she wanted but now it was time to face the truth. It might not have been the way it had appeared and she was mildly afraid to find out Sesshoumaru's true reasons behind his action._

"_I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that," Kagome said suddenly, her tone soft and wispy, "It was out of line."_

"_It is what it is," Sesshoumaru responded, not denying that he had, indeed, rushed out to save her performance. _

_Before Kagome could respond, a petite, curvy woman with a short bob stepped out from the backroom. As soon as she saw who was at the counter, her ruby lips curved into a seductive smile._

"_Sesshoumaru-sama," she gushed, boldly stepping forward to wrap her hands around his arm, "what a lovely surprise."_

"_I'm sure," he murmured dryly, pulling his arm away from her death grip._

"_Would you like another suit fitting?" she purred._

"_Yura, there is a formal event I am attending tonight. Kagome is my female companion," Sesshoumaru explained, pushing Kagome towards her, "find an appropriate attire for her. As you well remember, cost is of no concern to me."_

_Yura gave Kagome a quick once over from head to toe, her disdain apparent on her face. "Of course, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said with a slight bow, all pleasantries devoid from her voice. _

"_Come along now, human," she commanded, her tone short and impatient. Turning to face Sesshoumaru, her voice dripping with over exaggerated politeness, she said, "Sesshoumaru-sama, please have a seat by the lobby. I will bring the human to you when she is ready."_

_Before Sesshoumaru had a chance to reply, Yura rushed Kagome off into the dressing room, pulling random outfits off the nearby rack as she went. _

_As soon as both were securely locked within the dressing room, Yura spun around to glare at Kagome, venom dripping from her angered words. "What have you done, human, to make Sesshoumaru take you to the gala tonight?"_

_Kagome's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Isn't it Sesshoumaru-sama to you?" she retorted._

"_If he wasn't waiting out there for you, I'd strangle you with my bare hands," she hissed, shoving three dresses into Kagome's chest. "Put those on," Yura spat before leaving, slamming the door after her departure._

_Kagome stood there for a moment before shaking her head at the atrocious woman. She looked at the dresses in her hands and blanched at what she saw. There was no way she was putting those on. For one thing, they were far too revealing to be appropriate. For another, the price tag for the scraps of material was ridiculous. She couldn't embarrass Sesshoumaru like that._

_Quietly, she opened the door and peeked her head out, slightly startled by Yura's presence in a nearby chair._

"_Well?" she snapped upon noticing her._

"_I can't wear these," Kagome explained, easing herself out of the room. "They're too revealing for the event."_

_Frowning, Yura stood up and snatched the outfit from her hands. She looked at it up and down before rolling her eyes. "I don't see anything wrong with it. I'd wear these if I were you."_

"_Yeah, well… that might be why Sesshoumaru would never take you to one of his events," Kagome muttered spitefully, pushing her way past Yura to a rack of brightly colored dresses. _

_Yura let out a loud screech of rage, her small frame shaking with the force of her anger. She leapt for Kagome with sharp claws extended and both tumbled to the floor, kicking and screaming and twisting. Yura scratched at Kagome's face, wanting to mar her so badly that Sesshoumaru would never want to look at her again. She wanted to destroy her perfectly flawless skin, but damn if the girl knew how to block all her attacks._

_Still, at least Kagome was so busy blocking her wild movements she wasn't able to retaliate and end up scarring Yura's pale, smooth skin. They were both screaming and yelling, but their words were intangible. _

_Despite it all, Kagome was only human and her strength could never compete with that of a demoness. Her arms were sore and she was getting worn out and Yura still showed no signs of relenting in her attacks. Where was Sesshoumaru when she needed him? _

_The last of her energy slipped away and Kagome's arms collapsed to her side. She squeezed her eyes shut in preparation for the pain of Yura's claws but there was nothing. Not even the sound of Yura's screeching. It had gone deafly quiet. _

_Slowly, Kagome opened one eye, then the other and nearly let out a piercing scream. A mere centimeter away from her eye was one of Yura's sharp claw. Trailing her gaze upwards, she noticed a large hand clasped tightly upon the demoness' thin wrist. Lastly, she noticed that said large hand belonged to Sesshoumaru and his golden eyes were flashing with barely concealed rage._

_Concerned, Kagome laid a gentle hand on Sesshoumaru's forearm and he immediately understood her silent plea. He released Yura's wrist with a sneer of disdain and helped Kagome stand up. A bruise had already begun to appear on the soft, white flesh of the female and she was whimpering in pain and humiliation at having been caught attacking his date._

"_Sesshoumaru-sama, I am so sorry," Yura gushed with wide innocent eyes, but he quickly silenced her with an intense glare._

_Giving his surroundings a quick surveillance, Sesshoumaru was able to deduce the current situation. Walking to a nearby rack, he flipped through a few hangers before pulling one off the rod and shoving it at Yura. _

"_Assist Kagome in putting this on. She needs to look presentable tonight," he instructed, putting emphasis on presentable. "If I am not satisfied with the results, I will make certain you'll never be able to work retail again."_

"_Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," she replied meekly before ushering Kagome into the dressing room again._

"Kagome?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she cast him a sheepish smile. "My face is fine. Thank you for saving me today."

Again, Sesshoumaru chose not to respond, his eyes shining in the glow of the fountain lights. Moments passed and his gaze became so intense, Kagome began to fidget, wondering if her face had ended up getting scratched or bruised after all. Turning her head to the side, she attempted to discreetly touch her cheeks to feel for pain, but she couldn't find any.

She snuck a peek at Sesshoumaru and jumped in half surprise and half embarrassment when she found that he had not looked away from her.

"I… let's go back!" Kagome exclaimed abruptly, jumping to her feet in unease. The more Sesshoumaru looked at her in silence, the more self conscious she became. All of a sudden, she couldn't wait to get back into that crowded room.

Not giving Sesshoumaru a chance to respond, she began marching back towards the building, but a sudden warmth enveloping her hand stopped her dead in her tracks. Eyes wide, Kagome looked down and saw that Sesshoumaru's large hand covered hers. The sight of their joined hands made her heart skip a beat and she gazed at him from beneath lowered, hesitant lashes.

With a quick flick of his wrist, Sesshoumaru pulled Kagome back from the few steps she had taken, drawing her closer than she had been just a few moments prior. Unable to regain her balance, she tripped in her heels and nearly fell upon his lap. Her cheeks flushed a scarlet red and she immediately backed away, feeling nothing short of mortified.

Chuckling softly, he pulled her close again.

"Sesshoumaru, what are you doing?" she asked frantically, fearing her heart going into overdrive from an overactive imagination. Surely, her mind and her eyes must be playing tricks on her right now.

"Kagome," he whispered. The way her name left his lips was like a soft caress that had her heart hammering so hard she feared he could hear it. If he did though, Sesshoumaru chose not to acknowledge it. Instead, he moved one arm to circle her waist and the other quickly undid her hair so that it fell and swept gently across her shoulder blades. With careful claws, he tangled his fingers into her silky locks and sighed before pressing his fingers against the nape of her neck, gently pulling her closer to him.

For the first time since Kagome could remember, she had a height advantage. Still, with her standing in heels, she was only a few inches taller than a seated Sesshoumaru.

Persistently, he continued to tug her closer to him. She thought for a quick second to resist him, but curiosity of what Sesshoumaru would do next had her bending forward at the waist. He moved her so close she could feel his soft breath lingering upon her cheeks. Then, before Kagome could react, Sesshoumaru tilted his head up and pressed his lips against hers.

Her eyes widened as she gasped in shock and Sesshoumaru took that perfect opportunity to deepen the kiss, urging Kagome to respond to his ministrations. Slowly and hesitantly, Kagome's lashes fluttered closed as she lost herself in the sensations of a powerful, mind blowing kiss. She leaned into him and cupped his elegant face with both hands, taking what he was offering and giving herself to him freely.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry about the delay in my updates. When I last updated, I spoke of moving into a new house, but soon after I had settled in, I found out that my grandmother living on the other side of the world had been diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. Her survival rate is low and because of this, I had been too grief-strickin to write. Still, after a few weeks, I was able to pick myself up and try my hand at updating my stories. The process may be slow, but know that I am trying my hardest to write for you, my lovely readers. I appreciate your patience with me and my story.

**auto review: **(for those who aren't sure what to say in a review)

_"Dear Raine,  
THEY KISSED!__  
OMG, it was about time!  
Now maybe some REAL action will finally happen.  
I want all the drama and juicy details.__  
So, make it happen, alright?  
Update soon!  
Much Love,_  
_(enter name here)"_


	12. Chapter Eleven: Denials

1,000 Paper Cranes

**WARNING: MA Lemony Content. No further warnings will be issued. Read at your own risk.**

_Chapter Eleven: Denials_

With a loud, infuriated growl, Sesshoumaru ripped off his silk tie from around his neck and flung it as hard as he could against the wall. Chest heaving with his labored breathing and clenched jaw, he sidestepped the tie that had only fluttered innocently to the floor and stalked further into his room. He ran his claws through his silvery locks with agitation.

He could not believe his lack of self control. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Kagome with her tussled hair, lidded eyes, and full cerise lips, swollen from his passion. His heart would lurch with something he had not felt in a long time and he would grow even more disgusted at himself.

Even after all these years and his silent sufferings of a wounded heart, Sesshoumaru still could not resist the emotional pull of a woman. Even now, just a few minutes after dropping Kagome off at home from the gala, he wanted nothing more than to head right back and haul her off to his bed - or have himself land in hers. Having her writhing beneath his hard body in pure desire had been the only thing he could think of every time Kagome had gasped and moaned against his eager lips.

His imagination had been so realistic while his mouth plundered hers that he had felt his member stirring to life. He had been gentle with her, caressing her soft cheek and tangling his claws in her mane of thick, silky hair. Then, he had been more demanding as he dominated the kiss and Kagome, the naïve and innocent woman he knew her as, had responded so positively and so eagerly, he had been taken by surprise. But he had been secretly pleased as well since he, as a demon, was not prone to a gentler side when it came to carnal pleasures.

But he should have known better than to initiate something that would make Kagome misunderstand his actions and expect something from him that he could not give.

And it was, indeed, something he could not give her. He knew, without a doubt, that anything further between them would never last. Kagura had been proof of that.

He didn't need a woman in his life to feel complete. He had spent years to begin the reign of his empire in the music industry and that should be the most important thing in his life. He wanted to prove to all the people who had stepped on him in the past wrong. He wanted to flaunt his success in their face until they wept. He could not do that if he allowed a woman to weaken him - especially not a innocent, sweet, and kind-hearted woman like Kagome.

Stripping himself of his suit, Sesshoumaru headed for the shower, determined to wash the scent of Kagome from his skin and, in the process, from his heart and mind.

* * *

Kagome squealed loudly as she fell backwards upon her bed, arms and legs kicking and thrashing in excitement. The satin of her gown rustled beneath her and it only served to remind her of her wonderfully romantic night with Sesshoumaru. Never had she thought that he would return her affections for him in the same multitude. He had definitely proved her wrong though.

Heart thudding deep within her chest, she wondered how things would change at the company. Would they have to hide their relationship or would Sesshoumaru openly acknowledge them? Could they even be considered in a relationship or heading towards one? Was she even allowed to be a contestant and Sesshoumaru's girlfriend at the same time?

There were so many questions whirling through her mind and none she had the answers to. She needed to talk to Sesshoumaru, she realized, and the sooner the better.

With a content sigh, Kagome rolled onto her stomach and laid her cheek against her comforter, allowing herself the privilege of closing her eyes and recalling their fervent kiss in precise details.

That night, Kagome fell asleep in her dress with a smile on her face, dreaming of Sesshoumaru.

* * *

When Kagome walked into Taisho Records the next morning with a bounce in her step while humming a little, upbeat tune, the crowd's jaw dropped open in stunned stupor. After spending every morning together five days a week for the past few months, it was a well known fact that Kagome was not a morning person. The drastic difference in her attitude was puzzling and almost everyone in the room tried to find a reason behind her sudden change without being so blunt as to simply ask.

No one could come up with a valid reason except for Rin and Shippo who just smiled at each other secretively. They didn't know for a fact what was going on with their friend, but after Sesshoumaru had showed up at her house, they had an inkling he had something to do with her happiness.

Still, they weren't going to say anything. They didn't even know if whatever it was that was going on between them was allowed. It didn't take long, though, for everyone's unspoken questions to be forgotten as Myouga made his appearance and they all got to work.

They had received official word that the next competition would take place in two weeks time in front of a panel of judges, in addition to an audience. Each judge had been carefully selected from all over Japan and it was rumored that after the second elimination, everyone would be split up into groups and be assigned a judge to prepare for their third performance. This time, it would be the judge's opinion that mattered and the audience would only serve to create a fan base for each contestant.

From here on out, it would only continue to become more difficult but Kagome was more than ready. The way she had been rescued from humiliation at the first competition still burned brightly within her mind and the events of the gala still made her giddy. Sesshoumaru was her savior in so many ways and she only hoped that he would continue to be so. He had already done so much for her and he had done even more by taking her to the gala. She knew she had already won over so many important people in the music industry from personality alone and now she had to show those people she had the musical talent to go with the rest of her image.

Furrowing her eyebrows in concentrate as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she tried to roll her hips the way Ayame had taught her but somehow, it just didn't look as good as she knew it should. Ayame had been raised as a dancer so sensually smooth movements were a breeze but for Kagome, it was a different story.

Taking a moment to release the tension in her muscles, Kagome inhaled then exhaled deeply before trying again. Immediately, she frowned as discouragement flooded her system. With a weary sigh, her eyes slid to the others in the studio to check on their progress. Most of them were doing well but Ayame clearly surpassed everyone else and she found herself mesmerized by Ayame's movements.

As if feeling her gaze, Ayame turned her head to stare at Kagome for a moment before flashing her a knowing smile. Wordlessly, she sauntered over to where Kagome was, stretching as she walked, until she came to a stop before her.

"Trouble?"

"I just can't seem to get it," Kagome admitted, her frustration clearly showing upon her face. "I don't have the ability to dance like you do."

"Honey, dancing the way I do comes from long years of grueling practice," Ayame said with a quick, dismissive wave of her hand, "show me what you're doing."

Biting her bottom lip in concentration, Kagome tried to move her body the way she had been taught but her movements felt stiff and awkward. She knew it would be even worse from a viewer's standpoint and she glanced at Ayame with unsure eyes.

"Alright, I see your problem," Ayame declared and relief flooded through Kagome's system. Maybe she wouldn't be so hopeless after all.

"Now, the song you've chosen is an upbeat one, right?"

At that, Kagome nodded in agreement.

"I think it would help you a lot if you practiced your dance moves in tune with the song you've chosen. That'll let you listen to the song exactly the way it's sung and you can just move accordingly," Ayame explained, "do you have the song on your iPod?"

Nodding again, Kagome quickly tapped through her artist list until she pulled up the song and handed it to her.

"Perfect," she replied with a beam before she practically skipped towards the speaker while Kagome followed behind her slowly.

Plugging the iPod into the speaker, Ayame turned the volume up to where they could hear it while still being quiet enough to not disturb everyone else while they practiced.

"Alright. Now try your moves again, but this time, try to keep it in tune with the music," Ayame instructed before standing back to observe how Kagome moved.

Nervously, Kagome tapped her foot to the beat until she heard her starting point.

"_So, 1. 2. 3. 4. hitotsu zutsu / 1. 2. Step, you sou yatte / kimi no koto o shitte ikitai no"_

Remembering what Ayame had taught her, Kagome moved with feigned confidence, exaggerating some of her moves to match the beats and rhythms. She swayed and popped and spun when she needed to and somehow, she found it a lot easier to dance this time around. She knew she still needed a lot of practice but she was still pleased because she could feel the improvement from dancing to the music to dancing without it.

Almost all too soon, the music was cut off and Kagome turned to look at Ayame, waiting for what she had to say.

"That wasn't too bad actually," she praised, looking mildly surprised. "The only thing I would make certain of, though, is to pop your hips out a little bit more. You can make it more dramatic without it looking bad."

To prove her point, Ayame swayed her hips to mimic the way Kagome had moved. Then she danced a short stanza of the song in the way she envisioned would look best. Understanding what she was trying to say, Kagome nodded slowly in concentration, attempting to redo the step.

"Just practice that in addition to everything else and I think you'll do great," Ayame said with a friendly smile.

"Thanks so much for your help. I would be so lost without you," Kagome replied gratefully, a flash of relief sparkling in her eyes.

Starting the music over, Kagome continued to practice with renewed vigor as Ayame went back to her corner to practice her own upcoming performance.

* * *

Kagome frowned as she zipped up her jacket. Glancing at her watch for the hundredth time in the past hour, she saw it was already half passed eight and not once today had she seen Sesshoumaru.

She had thought that he would stop by the studio today to check on their progress and maybe to see her, but that hadn't happened. Then she thought maybe he'd be there when practice let out at six o'clock but he hadn't been there either. Thinking that perhaps he had meetings he could not get away from, she stalled and continued to practice until eight, but there were still no signs of him. Now, she had waited for an additional half an hour, but there was still no Sesshoumaru.

Where was he? Did he even show up for work today? She wanted to see him but did she dare intrude upon him in his office? Should she just wait until he decided to look for her? Tucking the strap of her purse more securely upon her shoulder, she exited the locker room and paused.

To the left where Sesshoumaru's office is… or to the right where the door is?

Kagome took two small steps towards the right then paused again to think.

"Damn it all to hell," she whispered under her breath, "I've always been told I was stubborn. I might as well live up to my reputation."

Mind made up, she walked with determination to the left, refusing to listen to the uncertainty in her inner voice that told her to just go home.

It was so quiet, her footsteps echoed and for a brief moment, Kagome thought perhaps Sesshoumaru had left work long ago. The thought that maybe he didn't even show up for work today crossed her mind again. Both ideas were quickly dashed when she saw the thin stream of light on the floor coming from the crack in his doorway.

Suddenly hesitating again, Kagome slowly brought a hand up and after a moment, knocked twice on his door. She waited for a response but none came. Just as she was prepared to knock again, she heard his voice telling her, almost wearily, to enter.

She turned the handle and pushed the door open before stepping inside. Her eyes found him immediately and she frowned at how he was massaging his temples. He must have had a stressful day, she thought to herself as she stepped closer to him. Her eyes ran across his desk to find it cluttered with paperwork and his laptop was open on one corner of his desk. Multiple pens were scattered about and numerous brightly colored post-it notes stood out amongst the sea of black and white.

Even the couch on the opposite end of the office was littered with paperwork. If she didn't know better, she would have assumed that a hurricane had torn through the room.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, without looking at her, his voice laced with a tinge of frostiness.

Taken aback by his tone of voice, Kagome stared at him uncertainly. "I didn't see you at all today is all," she replied softly.

"We often go for long periods without associating with one another," Sesshoumaru pointed out nonchalantly.

"Yes, but that was before…," she said, trailing off slowly.

"Before what?" he asked, finally lifting his head up to meet her gaze, "before the gala? The _kiss_?"

"I…"

"Let's get one thing straight, Higurashi," Sesshoumaru continued as he stood up to face her fully, "what happened was a mistake. Nothing more. I manipulated you to attend the gala with me. Everything else was an error in judgment that will never occur again."

She bit her bottom lip as a wave of hurt washed over her. Each word he had spoken stung like he had taken a sharp object to her heart and pierced at it repeatedly. Pushing back the tears that were blurring her vision, she slowly walked around his desk until she came to a stop beside his chair. She was silent as she observed him, furiously blinking back the tears.

He grew tense as she approached him. His jaw was clenched tightly as he gritted his teeth together and his hands were balled into tight fists. His entire body was rigid as he tried to stare her down, his golden eyes flashing with anger, but Kagome persisted.

"Why won't you give us a chance, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked, as the tears rolled down her cheeks, lingered at her jaw, then dripped silently onto her zipper hoodie.

"There _is_ no 'us'," he growled, his hands tightening even further at his side.

"There could be," she argued, willing her voice not to tremor, "but only if you're willing to give it, give us, a chance. A man doesn't kiss someone like that without some passion and emotion inside him."

"It is not possible," he replied curtly, "we are not suitable for each other."

Kagome fell silent for a moment, then she nodded slowly and took another step forward, closing the distance between her and Sesshoumaru. Enunciating each syllable slowly and clearly, she whispered to him, "I won't hurt you like Kagura did."

She barely had the time to register his movements before he turned and slammed her back against the wall. One hand gripped onto her shoulder tight enough to make her wince and the other fisted hand was embedded into the wall a mere inch from her startled face. His breathing was ragged and pink rimmed his eyes. His mouth was pursed back in a ferocious growl as he stared at her with burning hatred.

How dare she bring up that whore. How dare she say that bitch's name. The fury he felt at that very moment was so blinding, his hands nearly shook with the force of it.

"Leave!" he snapped, pushing his fist further inside the hole in the wall he had created.

A small swell of fear rose within her, but Kagome tilted her face up in stubbornness. "I'm not afraid of you," she whispered softly, "never."

"You lie," he growled, his voice an octave lower than usual, "I can smell your fear."

"You won't hurt me," Kagome stated confidently.

He narrowed his eyes at her but didn't speak. His grip on her shoulder slowly loosened until his arm fell back down to his side. His other hand; however, did not move, even as trails of crimson red blood oozed from the site of impact to drip downwards onto the ground. Slowly, she brought her hand up to rest upon his taunt arm; both sapphire and gold eyes mesmerized by her cautious movements.

When he didn't recoil away from her feather light touch, she rested the weight of her hand more heavily upon his arm, knowing that he could feel the warmth of her through his dress shirt sleeve. He still didn't flinch away nor did he give any indication that it was an unwelcome gesture. Taking that as a positive sign, she wrapped her fingers firmly around him and gave him a reassuring squeeze.

He exhaled sharply but still didn't move. With a small smile, Kagome raised her other hand to cup his smooth cheek and he subconsciously leaned into her touch. She caressed him gently with the pads of her fingertips and his eyes fluttered closed against his will.

"Stop fighting this," she whispered as she kissed him lightly, treating him as though he were a fragile prized possession, "stop fighting us."

She brushed her lips against his again and took her time exploring his unmoving mouth with hers as he stood still as a statue, waiting her next form of action. She coaxed and teased him with her petal soft lips, both mouths closed but far from innocent. He didn't respond to her but she continued patiently in hopes of persuading him to follow his hidden emotions.

Slowly, she felt the tension leaving his body and heard his small sigh of defeat. His clawed hands moved swiftly to grip at her upper arms and she felt an excited tingle shoot down her spine as he pushed her back firmly against the wall. Pressing himself into her, he dominated the kiss as she ignited his passion and broke the dam on his desire. He devoured her with lips and tongue and all Kagome could do was cling onto him and return his affections fervently.

She could feel the growing hardness of his desire pressing against her belly and another tingle shot through her to gather at the apex between her thighs. Wanting to push herself even closer to him, she hooked a lean leg behind his waist and moaned into Sesshoumaru's mouth as his length brushed against her heated core.

Tearing her mouth from his as her lungs threatened to burst, all she could do was pant for breath as her head swam with intense desire. Her entire body felt alive and she stifled a gasp as Sesshoumaru ground himself into her. His hands roamed over her breasts to teasingly pinch at her hardened nipples before they trailed down to her hips, leaving behind a burning sensation that only his touch could bring.

In one swift movement, he had her jeans unbuttoned and one finger was running along the edge of it teasingly. She whimpered and his hand slipped inside the waistband of her panties. His fingers met with warm, slippery wetness and he groaned at the sensation.

"You're so wet for me," Sesshoumaru whispered huskily, his fingers parting her folds to find her swollen pearl. At the first touch of his finger against the hidden jewel, Kagome cried out in pleasure, her hands fisting his shirt as she shuddered at the way his hands made her feel.

His hot, molten gaze caressed every inch of her face, etching the way she looked mid-passion into his mind. His throbbing erection surged at the thought of seeing her like this on a daily basis and while his fingers pressed against her slowly - teasingly, he licked the shell of her ear with the tip of his tongue.

"I saw you today," he whispered, his warm breath tickling her, "dancing in the studio. The way you moved had me so hard, I couldn't think of anything but you all day."

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome whimpered, his words making her feel hot all over. Breathy moans escaped her parted lips as she bucked her hips against his fingers frantically as he sped up his movements. His lips dropped to her neck and he left open mouthed kisses upon her heated flesh as she gasped soundlessly.

"You have made me weak," he continued, his other hand moving to pull at her taunt nipples through her clothing, "and for that, I will make you pay."

With one last flick to her clit, he suddenly plunged his fingers deep inside her, forcing a loud cry to erupt from Kagome's throat. Her entire body quivered as Sesshoumaru groaned at the tightness of her. He pumped into her with long, deep strokes, sending her teetering on the edge, then paused, smirking at her moan of frustration. Just as she had gotten off her high, he resumed thrusting his heavily coated fingers into her with short, fast strokes.

The friction was near unbearable for Kagome and her cries of ecstasy had Sesshoumaru's cock pulsing wildly. He could feel the wet stain in his pants as she began chanting his name like a mantra. Her legs shook and her muscles tensed. Her cries grew louder and Sesshoumaru moved faster.

With one last thrust of his fingers as his thumb simultaneously pressed up hard into her clit, Kagome exploded with a wail, her walls tightening around his fingers as her entire frame shook with the force of her climax. The proof of her arousal slid down her inner thighs as Sesshoumaru removed himself from inside her, catching Kagome just as her legs crumpled out from beneath her.

"If that was making me pay," Kagome said between pants, shakily brushing her sweat matted hair out of her face, "then you can make me pay any day."

"Higurashi, we are far from done," Sesshoumaru stated matter-of-factly, his hands moving swiftly to unbuckle his belt. Letting his pants drop, he picked her up and laid her down on his desk, swiping all his paperwork carelessly to the floor.

Gazing at Sesshoumaru with his hard length in his hands, Kagome could feel the familiar jolt of pleasure running down her spine and the surge of heat to her center.

"Does this mean there's an 'us' now?" Kagome asked breathily.

His eyes darkened in pure desire and the only reply Sesshoumaru gave was to pound into her tight, moist cavern as she screamed her approval.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yeah, I know. Six months. I'm so, so sorry! RL has been kicking me while I'm down, so please forgive me. No auto-review this time, but please still take the time to review. I really appreciate each one. If anything, tell me how that lemony goodness was. *winks* lol.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Letting Go

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter Twelve: Letting Go_

Kagome sighed contently, nestling her head more comfortably into the crook of Sesshoumaru's bare shoulder as the first rays of light shone through the partially opened blinds to caress her nude form. She was exhausted but her entire body had never felt so alive, despite the soreness she could feel settling in. He had been near insatiable in their coupling and Kagome had half feared that he'd end up hurting himself. He had taken her three times; once on his desk, once against the wall, and the final time on his couch, where they currently laid.

Every dip and curve of her soft frame molded perfectly against his lean body and she couldn't help but think of how well they suited each other. It was almost like yin and yang. When she had lacked the ability to be confident, Sesshoumaru had lifted her up and given her that confidence. While Sesshoumaru is known as being cold, Kagome could see through his disguise and understand his inner heart, letting him see that there is still at least one person in the world who comprehends him. Together, they could transform each other for the better. Together, they could be the perfect match.

She just had to make sure that Sesshoumaru can see what she saw. Absentmindedly, one slender finger began tweaking his nipple as Kagome's thoughts drifted further, her nails scraping over the pebbled tip gently as it hardened beneath her touch.

What, exactly, had this Kagura person done to Sesshoumaru to make him so untrusting towards others? What had driven him to become so cold? She knew that Kagura had once been his fiancée and that she had left him. It hadn't been a difficult piece of information to find when Sesshoumaru rose to music industry fame and the internet had been just a touch away. The past is the past though and Kagome only wanted to know if she could be the person he needed to fill the gap that Kagura had left in his heart. Could she be the person who would help him move on from the past? Would he ever let her in? Was she worthy enough to gain the love he had undoubtedly locked away for so long?

Suddenly, she felt a strong pressure weighing down her heavy heart and she nearly gasped at its unexpected appearance. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of her as realization finally dawned upon her. If Sesshoumaru had sensed her change in mood, he had chosen not to speak of it as he quietly continued to hold her. Inwardly, she began to panic and her mind began working overtime in an attempt to process all the thoughts that had rushed into her head.

Had she truly thought that things between them would be so easy? Had she thought that physical comfort could overcome years of pain, grief, and suffering? Had she thought she could make a difference in his life so easily? For all she knew, Sesshoumaru could send her away at this very moment, despite the way he had loved her body so thoroughly just moments before. He might even think she was easy with the way she had given her body up to him.

She sighed again, but it was strained. What had she gotten herself into? Of all the men in the world, why had she fallen for a scorned man with hidden pains who was also her boss?

"I don't mean to ruin the moment…," Kagome suddenly said, before she could stop herself, "but what's going to happen next? Between us, I mean."

She hadn't meant to ask, but she feared she might go insane with all the unanswered questions running through her mind. So overwhelmed, she had blurted it out and now it was too late to take it back. This was the moment of truth; would Sesshoumaru let her in or kick her to the curb?

Almost instantaneously, she could feel the arm wrapped around her waist tense and the hand curved at her hip clench. He remained silent and her heart lurched painfully in dread. He was going to kick her out. She could feel it.

Sesshoumaru gently pushed her back and off of him as he swiftly sat up, running a hand through his tangled silver locks. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye then looked away as he stood up. Still completely nude, he strolled across the office to open the blinds and stared in silence at the rising sun over the horizon. For several long moments, he didn't speak and he refused to turn his attention away from the window in an attempt to avoid her questioning gaze.

Concern washed over her as Kagome slowly sat up, her sapphire eyes glued to his glorious frame as she tried to figure him out. Out of modesty, she picked up his discarded dress shirt and slipped it over her nude body before making her way towards him. Her footsteps were light but determined until she came to a stop right behind him.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"You are the first woman I've bedded since… _her_," Sesshoumaru admitted, "I apologize if I had harmed you due to my lack of control."

"I like it when you lose control," Kagome replied softly, "it's the only time I feel like you're letting me in and the only time I can see the real you, the gentler and fragile side, that you hide from the rest of the world."

"Don't," he snapped, suddenly angry as he turned his head to glare at her, "don't remind me of my weakness. I am more than aware of it's lingering presence."

"Why do you have to see it as a weakness?" she immediately argued, "Why can't you see it as strength?"

"Is it not a weakness?" Sesshoumaru asked her, his hands curling into tense fists, "Is it not a weakness when a single person, a single _woman_, has the ability to destroy you? To leave you with _nothing_ but the internal pain and suffering? Yes, Kagome, it is a weakness; a weakness in which you apparently know nothing of."

"Don't even think of telling me what it is I do or don't know!" Kagome lashed out, her anger overcoming her desire to make him see reason. "You don't know what I've been through or the pains I've had to deal with in the past. You've never cared to ask. You just assume you're the only one who has ever been heartbroken before. Let me tell you something, Sesshoumaru. Just like you, my fiancé left me. I haven't heard from him since. But unlike you, I didn't wallow in misery for two years. I worked hard to nurse my broken heart back together and I moved on. I worked to make myself stronger than I used to and I _am_. Tell me, Sesshoumaru, isn't that strength?"

He stared at her quizzically, but didn't speak. Chest heaving from her rampant emotions, Kagome simply stared back at him head on, almost challenging him to prove her wrong with her intense eyes. Abruptly, Sesshoumaru looked away, his head slightly bowed as he quickly ran through her words.

It was true. Kagome shone of strength and confidence, but pain was such a difficult thing to overcome. It was suffocation and undiluted negativity and yet, she had been able to move past it all. How had she done it? If he could, he would have long ago released such burdens from within his own heart. What did that mean? He was weak for succumbing to it? No, it just meant he hadn't found the right means in letting go. Didn't it?

Wearily, he rubbed at his temples, suddenly overwhelmed for the first time in a long time. He wanted to believe her words. Truly, he did, but it was difficult. Somehow, the façade he had been keeping for the past couple of years had cracked wide open - but only while in her presence. What was it about Kagome that made her so different from everyone else? What was it about her that allowed her to see through the barrier he had placed around himself? How could she see his loneliness? His pain?

Without warning, he slammed a hard fist into the wall, causing Kagome to flinch in surprise. Even that; however, didn't work out the way he wanted. His pent up frustration was still present and taking it out on the wall had not helped. As her words echoed repeatedly in his head, slowly but surely, realization finally dawned upon him and understanding finally settled within him. He began to clearly see the reason Kagome had been trying to get him to comprehend. With a sigh, his eyes slowly slid shut as he admitted his defeat.

"How…," Sesshoumaru asked, leaning his forehead against the fist that was still pressed against the wall, "how do I let go? Can you tell me, Kagome? How do I let go?"

He was fragile now, his shield having been irreparably broken apart and the constant fight within him to keep his coldness was gone. At this very moment, she could see him clear as day, every flaw and beautiful detail was splayed out for her. Eyes softening and anger evaporating, Kagome stepped closer to his still form. She slowly snaked her arms around his waist to embrace him, pressing her chest against his firm back. Silently, she offered him the comfort she knew he secretly needed. She knew his world had been turned upside down once more.

"You have to let someone in," Kagome whispered in reply, her lips lightly brushing against his bare skin with every word she spoke, "you have to be willing to let go of everything, feel everything, and move past it all. I know it'll be hard, but if you'll let me, I'll be with you, Sesshoumaru. I'll walk beside you every step of the way until you find yourself again. I won't leave you and I won't hurt you."

Her heart swelled with hope for him. Perhaps they would get a chance after all. Maybe this had been fate's plan all along and maybe they were meant to be was an entirely plausible thought. With a soft smile, Kagome placed a soft tender kiss on his shoulder blade. In response, Sesshoumaru's other hand slowly and hesitantly moved over hers, covering the back of her hand entirely as he intertwined their fingers tightly together.

That was the only answer Kagome needed.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Less than a month between updates this time! Aren't you proud of me? It's a short chapter though, I know, but I felt like it ended on the right note. It didn't have the same feeling to it when I added more, so I took it off and plan on using what I had originally written as a continuation of this chapter as the next chapter. Which means, the next update shouldn't take too long either. Thanks for sticking with me, guys.

**auto review: **(for those who aren't sure what to say in a review)

_"Dear Raine,  
Yesss! Finally!  
Sesshoumaru didn't push her away this time!  
I can't believe he's actually seeking help!  
There IS hope for him after all!  
Update soon!  
Much Love,_  
_(enter name here)"_


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Stripped Bare

1,000 Paper Cranes

_Chapter Thirteen: Stripped Bare_

"Where are we going?" Kagome asked curiously, looking around wildly at their surroundings. A few feet ahead of her, Sesshoumaru paid her no heed as he continued walking leisurely.

It was bright and early on a Saturday morning and Sesshoumaru had woken her up from a beautiful, peaceful sleep. He wouldn't tell her what he wanted or where he was taking her, only telling her to hurry up because they had a lot to do. Still half asleep and bleary eyed, Kagome went through her morning routine while Sesshoumaru stood by the door impatiently.

Now, for some reason, they were at an empty high school. To say she was confused would be an understatement.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"You said I had to let go, did you not?" Sesshoumaru replied as he continued walking, "and you said you would walk beside me, did you not?"

"Yes," Kagome answered slowly, drawing out the word, still unsure as to what he wanted to do.

"Then walk with me," he stated as he stopped and turned to face her, holding out a hand for her to take. "Walk with me and assist me in letting go."

Wordlessly, Kagome nodded before striding to his side, placing her hand on top of his outstretched one. Sesshoumaru looked down at their joined hand before lacing their fingers together and dropping it down to their sides. Together, they walked closer to the large school building until Sesshoumaru came to an abrupt stop.

"This is where I met Kagura for the first time," Sesshoumaru explained, using his other hand to point to the corner of a stone ledge. "Spring of my Senior year, I saw her sitting there reading a novel. Captivated by her beauty, I approached her as the suave player I had been but she rejected me instantly. It became a game for me as my desire to have her accept me grew. I did not, still do not, take rejections well. She did not matter to me as a person or as a woman, as long as I won the game in the end. After that, every school day, I would see her upon that ledge and I would attempt to woo her with no success."

Listening to him recalling the past, Kagome could almost envision the scene playing out before her. She imagined a beautiful but young Japanese lady in her high school uniform, sitting beneath the shade on the ledge with a book in her hand. Then she saw a younger uniform clad Sesshoumaru approach her only to be turned down. It was such an endearing image that Kagome couldn't suppress the soft smile that emerged.

"Then what happened?" she asked.

"I did not win the game," Sesshoumaru replied simply.

"So how did you two get together?"

"Patience, Kagome," he murmured, giving her hand a soft squeeze, "All will be revealed in due time."

* * *

They stood in front of a tall, white building this time. There were people mulling around here and there. Some had easels set up to paint the forest scenery around them and others were bent over sketchbooks with their pencils in hand. Others held expensive digital cameras as they strolled through the throngs of people.

Kagome gave Sesshoumaru a sideways glance. This did not seem like the type of place he would frequent, but she was also sure that the Sesshoumaru of the past was vastly different from the Sesshoumaru of today.

"Following my graduation, I forgot about Kagura. I attended Musashino Art University, majoring in Architecture here at the Takanodai campus. I never thought I would see her again," Sesshoumaru explained, "until I saw her painting here one day."

"It must have been fate," Kagome murmured, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"She still held a fondness for ledges for that was where I saw her, legs crossed, concentration upon her face, and her paint palette resting beside her while she caressed the canvas with her brush," Sesshoumaru continued.

"Did you talk to her?" she prodded.

"My desire to exceed at the top of my classes in university drove away my desire to be the player I was before, but when I saw her, I knew I needed to have her. I approached her then and I always believed that she saw the difference in me within one glance. She smiled at me when she looked up and she greeted me by name, almost as though I have been on her mind all this time. I asked her out for coffee and she agreed instantly."

"I bet she knew you were a good person all along," Kagome complimented with a smile. Despite the pain Sesshoumaru was going through, his story with Kagura was already a beautiful one and Kagome had always been a sucker for a beautiful, love story. "That's why she remembered you so well."

"Perhaps," Sesshoumaru agreed, "or perhaps I had simply bothered her for far too long."

* * *

"So… are we going in or not?" Kagome asked curiously, staring at the small restaurant hidden in the corner of an otherwise busy street. It was a hole in the wall kind of restaurant with a shabby outer appearance and she was surprised that this had been one of Sesshoumaru's stops. If he had not taken her directly to the front of the shop, she would have missed it entirely. It was _that_ unnoticeable.

After another moment of silence, Sesshoumaru seemed to snap out of his reverie as his eyes lost the dazed, faraway stare. Refocused, he nodded his head and pulled the door open, a small bell ringing above them to signal their arrival.

Inside, the interior was in far better shape than the exterior and Kagome took it all in with wide-eyed curiosity. They were quickly seated and cups of steaming tea was served soon after. Menus were handed out, mental debates on what to order had ensued, orders had been placed, and quicker than Kagome could even process, the food had been set before them.

It was a pleasant surprise for her to find that the scent was mouthwatering and the dish looked equally as appetizing. She hadn't been sure of what to expect, but she had not yet been disappointed. She took a bite of her food tentatively and her face immediately brightened in delight.

"This Gyudon is really good," Kagome exclaimed as she took another bite with a wide grin on her face.

Sesshoumaru simply nodded in response before placing a bite-sized piece of his Yakizakana into his mouth with his chopsticks. "This was Kagura's favorite restaurant to visit and this was where our first official date was held."

"It's a very warm restaurant," she commented thoughtfully. "Not as high class as you are now. I guess I have a hard time imagining the kind of man you were with Kagura."

Sesshoumaru was quiet for a moment, as though he were trying to find the best way to phrase his next words. Slowly, he set his chopsticks down and settled his intense gaze on Kagome.

"You will not have a difficult time imagining," he murmured, "because you will experience it firsthand."

Immediately, heat spread over her cheeks, staining them a light pink. Unsure of what to say, Kagome ducked her head down shyly and took in another mouthful of food in response.

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment longer, feeling a warmth he had not felt for a long time radiating within him. His heart involuntarily skipped a beat at this profound sensation. After Kagura, he had never expected to ever feel any semblance of adoration for a woman.

And yet, here he was, thinking about how attractive Kagome was when she was being bashful. Here he was, a scorned man, thinking about having a future with an enigma he had not yet fully figured out. And perhaps the most surprising of all, Sesshoumaru believed it was truly possible; that perhaps he, too, like many others, would have his happy ending. His eyes softened as he gazed at Kagome in a new light.

* * *

The stars were twinkling brightly in the dark sky as they came to a stop in front of one of the most breathtaking sights Kagome had ever seen. A large pond shimmering with the reflection of the moon's illuminating light sat in the middle of a lush park. Across the body of water was a cobblestone bridge and on both ends stood a tall lamp. Stringed lights were wrapped around the lampposts and along the railings upon the bridge, casting a colorful shadow upon the entire scenery.

The sensation of utter tranquility washed over Kagome and in an instant, she knew this was the most important location of all in Sesshoumaru's past. Her heart leapt to lodge in her throat at the possibility of what had happened on that bridge. This had to be it - the site of Sesshoumaru's proposal.

Kagome patiently waited for Sesshoumaru to speak, knowing that he would when he was ready. Even after all this time, his heart had been deeply wounded by his ex-fiancé and burying it under work had only worsened his heartache. It was time for him to release all the negativity and let go. It was time for him to start anew and Kagome truly hoped that she would be the person who could make him happy.

"This is where I proposed to Kagura," Sesshoumaru said suddenly and Kagome flashed him a wistful smile, silently urging him to continue. After another moment of silence, he continued, "and also the location in which Kagura had chosen to call off our engagement… on the morning of our wedding day."

Before she could stop it, tears had filled Kagome's eyes as her heart ached for him. She didn't pity him and what he had been through. She was shedding tears of hurt, pain, and humiliation for him because she knew that he would never do so, no matter how much he wanted to.

"That morning, I had given her a gift, unaware of her changed mind. With my two bare hands and one sleepless night, I had made her 1,000 paper cranes to prove my unwavering love. It was only after I told her the significance did she tell me that she no longer wished to wed with me because I was not financially wealthy. I told her I would succeed one day but she refused to wait."

Sesshoumaru paused and drew in a shuddering breath.

"She asked me to understand, but I couldn't. I left her standing upon that bridge, tears falling down her cheeks. I wanted to turn back and brush away those tears, but I forced myself to continue walking out of her life. I have neither seen nor heard from her since."

A small sob escaped Kagome's lips as she finally heard the entire story of his short-lived romance. He looked at her with glimmering eyes, brushing away the tears she shed for him with the pad of his fingers. Without breaking eye contact, she covered his hand with her own before moving to place a soft kiss on the palm of his hand.

"She was a fool," Kagome whispered, "but I am thankful for that because I might have never met you otherwise."

Sesshoumaru flashed her a light smile, the first she had ever seen, and tugged on her hand, signaling for her to follow him. He led her up to the middle of the bridge and Kagome understood his intentions. Throughout the day, he had been replacing painful, past memories of Kagura with present, content memories of Kagome. It was his method in moving on and not be surrounded by unwanted recollections of events he would rather not think about.

She knew it was the only way Sesshoumaru would be able to return to those locations with a lighter heart and not be reminded of Kagura. Kagome mentally vowed at that moment to never break his heart so he would never have to repeat a day like today.

With startling clarity, Kagome knew she had fallen in love with Sesshoumaru so completely, there was no way she could ever stop. Turning to face him, Kagome cupped his smooth cheek and pressed her lips against his, pouring her newfound emotion into their kiss. He stole her breath away with the passion he responded with as he pulled her fervently against him.

Both could feel the subtle difference within their embrace. The softness of their movements, the sensual sliding of their lips against one another, and the beating of two hearts that were perfectly in sync.

It was a kiss that promised a new beginning and a bright future. It was a kiss of two people who were meant to be.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So... I lied, didn't I? I am so sorry for the delay in this chapter. I know I am awful at updating, but please forgive me. I was hit with a strong case of writer's block and I took a long hiatus from writing in general due to RL situations. I'm trying to get back on track with this story so please, bear with me. I am so grateful for each of my readers, I would hate to lose you because I suck at updating.

**auto review: **(for those who aren't sure what to say in a review)

_"Dear Raine,  
FINALLY! The turning point!  
It's about time!  
This was a really touching chapter,  
and it made the wait worthwhile,  
but shame on you for taking so long to update!  
You'd better update soon this time...  
Or else!  
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